Letter From the Future
by TheAliensDidIt
Summary: Something evil is rising, something that will bring death and destruction to Fiore. Fairy Tail is out to stop it. The path is long and difficult, but they have something the dark side does not - love, courage, hope, belief. Will they succeed?
1. Prologue

_Hello. ~_

_My first Fairy Tail fanfiction! FT is currently my new best friend. _

_Disclaimer? No, I don't own. Should be obvious._

_On a side note, this chapter will just be a short prologue thing. _

_Please read and review. ^^_

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><p><p>

**Prologue.**

A figure sat in an armchair near the dying embers of a fireplace. The room was dimly lit; the fire threw shadows that flickered and danced across the room. A plain wooden door was barely visible behind the armchair. But he — for the figure was a man — made no move to reignite the fire to lighten up the room.

The darkness was his element, and so was everything that went with darkness — shadows, fear, _death. _

The fire spluttered higher for a split second, and for a mere heartbeat the embers illuminated a pair of black eyes. Black, bottomless eyes that held no hint of a sparkle or a glint of life in them. The eyes were dull, dead.

Then the fire died down again and everything was plunged into darkness once more.

There was a knock on the door.

The figure in the armchair sat up, long white fingers straightened in anticipation. One by one, the shadows in the room _detached _from the corners of the wall and under the armchair and flew into the hands of the man, swirls of blackness curling and pulsing delightedly in his hands.

"Enter." His voice was smooth, but there was a hint of menace underneath the deceptively pleasant tone.

The doorknob rattled fearfully, then the door slowly inched open.

A young boy, no more than sixteen, stood trembling in the doorway.

"Are we ready to start?"

The boy shook his head numbly. His teeth were chattering.

"When I ask you a question, _boy, _you speak up."

"N-no, master." The poor boy shook like a leaf in the wind.

The black eyes narrowed to slits, the fingers clenched into a tight fist. "Explain." The voice was a hiss now; it lost its pleasant exterior.

"W-we have the necessary magic power, master. But we n-need to infuse the magic into a powerful magical object as the h-host."

"Indeed." The figure was silent for a while, staring into the fire. Then he looked up into the face of the terrified boy. "You are dismissed."

Not believing his good luck at making it out alive, the poor lad scarpered before his master could change his mind.

_A pathetic, bumbling fool. They all are. _

He stood up from the armchair and spoke aloud. "Useless creatures. Nevertheless… you heard what the boy said, Phasea. A powerful magical object is required if we ever want to meet our goal."

"Yes, master." A woman — who wasn't there a few seconds ago — stood near the fireplace. She had midnight black tresses and was dressed in a dark blue combat outfit, complete with a set of knives tucked in her belt.

"Do you have any ideas, Phasea?"

"The only object strong enough to contain the magical power we have amassed is the Staff itself, master."

"Indeed. The Staff. This has set my plans back a bit… but no matter… the Staff will be in our grasp soon…"

The woman stayed quiet.

"You are to find the Staff, and bring it to me. These are my orders."

"Yes, master." She bowed, then retreated to the doorway.

"You are my best servant, Phasea. Do not let me down."

The woman met his black eyes unflinchingly.

"Yes, master."

There were no second chances.

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><p><p>

_Yes. Well, that is it. _

_Chapter 1 ought to be up soon. _

_Thank you for reading._

_- TheAliensDidIt _


	2. Chapter 1

_Chapter 2! Yay! Fairy Tail is introduced in this chapter. _

_Please read and review._

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><p><strong>Chapter One.<strong>

"Another one?"

"Who is it?"

"What? Again?"

Lucy shoved her way through the crowd of mages that gathered in front of Fairy Tail's bulletin board.

_Not again, _she prayed, _please don't let it be that, please let it be something else _—

Her hopes were dashed as she recognized the notice pinned on the bulletin board. It was a notice she had seen many times before in the guild, for it was updated weekly.

It showed a list of powerful mages who had mysteriously been murdered for the past two months. Lucy forced herself to read; telling herself she had to know who had been killed this time.

Celine Rose — a mind manipulation expert.

Tempest Fey — Mistress of Air.

Zion d'Angelo — a manipulator of storms and lightning, or, as Lucy liked to call him, a "weather man."

May Vidara — a user of requip magic, similar to Erza's.

Nikolai Alexandre — an Illusionist.

And below that: _killer still on the loose._

Goosebumps crawled down Lucy's neck. What if the killer (or — Lucy shuddered to think — killer_s_) started targeting Fairy Tail?

Gildarts had been targeted two weeks ago, but he had thankfully escaped and gone into hiding.

Lucy slumped down on Mira's bar, head buried in her arms.

"Tempest was an old friend. She was a . . . formidable mage," Master Makarov spoke from Lucy's right, situated on a tall chair from the bar. She had never known how Makarov managed to sneak up on her so many times, and she hadn't the heart to ask now.

Lucy looked up. "I'm sorry, Master."

He grunted in reply before jumping down and trotting away, no doubt to think about the series of murders that had been committed this time.

For several months now, Fairy Tail had been a lot quieter and more subdued. It still had its warm and comforting aura, but there were fewer fights, fewer friendly brawls — Gray and Natsu could sit next to each other and not pick a fight — something Lucy had never seen before, even with Erza around.

Mira deposited a smoothie in front of Lucy.

"Thanks, Mira-chan." Lucy idly twirled the smoothie straw around with two fingers, while silently contemplating exactly _what _is going on with the murders.

"No problem, Lucy."

Lucy barely heard Mira, though, for one thought kept playing itself around her mind.

_The mages that were killed were powerful people _— _even Master thinks so, especially Tempest Fey. How can they be killed that easily?_

But another, more pressing thought surfaced into her head.

Why _were they killed in the first place?_

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><p>At seven PM, the guild was nearly empty. On a normal day, Cana would still be drinking with Macao and Erza would be busy preventing Natsu and Gray bashing each others' brains out.<p>

Now, most of the members had cleared out, and as Lucy grabbed her coat to get ready to go home, she heard Mira call out.

"Lucy! I forgot! There's a letter for you — it came this morning!"

Mira handed her a plain white envelope with a seal in front. Lucy took it somewhat gingerly, as if worried the letter might be a time bomb designed to explode at any second.

Mira chuckled. "Don't worry, it's nothing dangerous. Master made sure of that."

"I'm not sure what your definition of 'dangerous' is, Mira-chan," Lucy smiled wryly.

The S-class mage smiled while Lucy carefully opened the letter.

It was written in neat, friendly handwriting, about half a page long and — Lucy thought this was very queer indeed — the handwriting was very similar to hers. She pushed the thought aside and started to read.

_Dear Lucy,_

_I don't know how I'm going to tell you this, but here goes. I am your future self, five years into the future. _

_I know you don't believe me _— _after all, I know myself, don't I? _

_So here's some proof._

_I know you still keep your favorite bunny PJs from when you were fourteen, I know that boy with pink hair often barges into your house, I know you act like you don't like him intruding your privacy but you actually enjoy his company, deep down _—

"You like Natsu's company, Lucy?" Mira had somehow wormed her way over to Lucy's shoulder and was also reading the letter.

Lucy let out a very high-pitched shriek. "MIRA-CHAN! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"I wasn't sneaking," Mira said innocently. "I was just reading."

Lucy shot daggers at her.

Mira picked up a glass and started wiping it absentmindedly. "Anyway, go on, Lucy."

Lucy picked up where she left off.

— _and you should notice by now that our handwriting is similar, if not the same. _

_Is that proof enough for you?_

_We need to talk, Lucy. Face-to-face. Mages are being killed right now, aren't they? I know what's causing them _— _I have experienced them first-hand. Bad things will happen, really bad things, unless you stop it _now, _in _your _time, or all of Fiore's future will be terrible, as I have experienced in my time from the future. _

_I can tell you what's going, why the mages are being killed, but you must stop the murders before they are too late. They're connected to something bigger _— _a dark plot used for evil intentions. _

_I've probably made you more confused now, but I promise you, I will explain everything. Meet me tonight at eight in front of the café. _

There was a stunned silence.

Mira snatched the paper from Lucy's limp grasp. "I think . . . we should talk to Master about this."

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><p>An hour later, at eight PM, in front of the café, Lucy sat on a chair with a cup of espresso sundae wrapped around her hands. Levy was there with her, to provide support if "things go wrong", as Master had put it.<p>

The café was deserted except for the occasional waitress that strolled around the shop, making it an ideal place for a private conversation.

At five past eight, a figure wrapped in a jacket slid into an empty seat across Lucy.

The celestial spirit mage looked up.

And gasped in surprise at seeing another Lucy look back at her.

The other Lucy had longer blond hair and a fuller face, a taller body and a different outfit than the one present Lucy normally wore to the guild, but the hair was tied up in that signature ponytail, and the eyes were the same playful brown.

Levy was staring at the other Lucy in openmouthed shock, and present Lucy was pretty sure she looked the same too.

No doubt about it, the person sitting on the café chair was Lucy, five years into the future.

Future Lucy leaned back into her chair and grinned at present Lucy. "Hello, little me."

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><p><em>Reviiieeeewwwww?<em>

_-TheAliensDidIt_


	3. Chapter 2

_Forbidden-Hanyou__ has given me motivation to post another chapter quickly. Here it is!_

_Also, thanks for reviewing_ — _I forgot to put this in the previous chapter and I'm too lazy to do it now, so yeah. _

_This chapter will (hopefully) answer some questions._

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><p><strong>Chapter Two. <strong>

"So. Let me get this straight." Lucy pointed at future Lucy, then at random places in the café as if trying to connect the dots somehow.

"You're me."

Future Lucy grinned. "Mmm-hmm."

"Five years older than the current me."

"Yep."

"This . . . can't be happening. I mean, there's only supposed to be one of me! Lucy!"

"I don't know about that, Lu-chan. I mean, she looks pretty real to me." Levy, not bothering to hide her fascination, was staring wide-eyed at future Lucy. "How did you come back to our time? Some sort of time travel magic? Self-preservation method? Huh?"

Levy seemed to believe the whole thing, so Lucy chose this moment to appraise her future self again.

"Well . . . I'll look hot," Lucy said appreciatively.

Future Lucy laughed. "You two won't change much in the next five years. Still as bubbly as ever." Then her eyes clouded and a frown replaced her smile. "Which reminds me of the reason I'm here."

Lucy and Levy, all ears now, perked up and listened.

"Yes, tell us about what's going on with the killings lately," Levy said, her eyebrows furrowed in that typical Levy fashion that showed she was thinking hard.

Future Lucy sighed and looked away. "Where to begin . . .?"

The two younger girls wriggled impatiently on their seats.

"Are any of you familiar with the Staff of Testament?"

Lucy shook her head, but Levy, who made it a point to spend hours poring over books in the library, spoke up.

"Of course. The Staff is a very powerful magical object. It's renowned for its ability to store large quantities of magical power inside, but it went missing several years back."

Future Lucy nodded. "Correct, Levy."

"But what does the Staff have to do with the mages being killed?" Lucy piped up.

Future Lucy folded her arms and her eyes took on a glazed look. "As Levy said, the Staff is famous for its ability to store magical power. However, it also has the ability to _use _the stored magical power, with the right spells to activate it. The 'Testament' part of its name comes from the fact that the magical power is used depending on the user's will — both good and bad."

Levy gasped as she got the gist of what future Lucy was saying.

"You don't mean —!"

"I do, Levy."

Lucy looked from Levy to her future self back and forth. "Um, what do you mean?"

"Used in the wrong hands, the Staff will bend to its user's evil intentions. Think of this: the user stored a large amount of magical power in the Staff. Now what happens when the user unleashes all of the stored magical power . . .?"

Something clicked in Lucy's brain.

"So the mages that are being killed . . . the culprit is killing them to obtain their magical power and store it in the Staff?"

"Exactly." Future Lucy leaned forward and gazed at the two girls. "You understand, don't you, what will happen if our enemy manages to get the Staff? What havoc he can wreak, depending on his will?"

"But — but _why? _What do they intend to use the Staff _for_?"

Future Lucy looked troubled. "It is better if I show you. Do I have your permission?"

Lucy and Levy stared at each other, not understanding what the older girl meant.

Without waiting for an answer, future Lucy grabbed both girls' hands in her own. "Close your eyes," she told them.

The second Lucy did, colors started flickering through her mind — flashes of pictures, memories, images that made no sense whatsoever. It was so unexpected, Lucy flinched and nearly pulled her hand away, but future Lucy kept her hand there in an iron grasp.

She tried to talk, to say something, but somehow her mouth couldn't form the words. It was as if she was paralyzed, and she knew Levy beside her was feeling the same thing, so she resigned herself to the flickering images in her mind.

At last, like a new camera being tried out, the pictures started to focus until Lucy recognized one particular picture.

It was Fairy Tail.

Fairy Tail, in shambles, wrecked, burned and nearly obliterated.

If Lucy could move, she would have cried out at seeing her beloved guild in such a state.

Her future self's voice sounded in her mind. "Relax. Pull yourself into this picture, and you'll see soon."

Lucy did, and she saw a vision.

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><p><em>An armada of gaunt, skeletal wolves with glinting red eyes is loping <em>_to her guild. Behind the wolves, black mages are riding on shadows and flinging dark projectiles to her friends. Hellhounds follow close behind, whining eagerly with the promise of devouring more magical power. _

_Lucy is fighting, Levy is fighting, Natsu, Gray, Erza are fighting _— _most of the mages are injured and sporting bandages, but still, everyone screams a ragged cheer of defiance, and Lucy's heart swells with pride as she realizes that even if they're going down, they're going down fighting._

_Loke is beside her, taking down wolves with his Regulus magic. They're working in perfect harmony, master and spirit._

_Her beloved spirits, her trusty whip, __Natsu's fireballs, Gray's ice lances, Erza's sword, an array of different types of magic from different members are taking down enemy after enemy, but there's so many _— _too many —_

— _And deep down, Lucy knows she's fighting a losing battle, she knows her friends know it too, but still they press on, intent on making their last stand._

_Suddenly a pained yell pierces the din of battle and a hellhound, black as night, bowls over Lucy through her lapse in concentration. The slavering jaws are an inch from her throat, she tries to keep its fangs away from her, but its saliva drips down on her arms, her mind is fogging over from the hellhound's dark touch and it _burns —

— _And then Loke is there, blasting the hellhound away with a halo of pure light. Instantly, her mind clears and she scrabbles up, nodding in thanks to Loke before swiveling around to locate the scream, because it sounds like . . . it sounds like . . ._

_Bisca._

_Her neck is in a wolf's jaws, blood trickling down from numerous cuts on her arms and legs. She is still screaming, a horrible choking sound, flailing and weakly trying to prise the wolf's jaws off her. Lucy's eyes meet the wolf's red ones, and she can swear it's smiling a twisted smile as it crunches harder on Bisca. _

_"Open! Door of the archer, Sagittarius!" Sagittarius appears in a poof, and Lucy shrieks hysterically, "Bisca! Save Bisca!"_

_Even as three arrows speed toward the wolf, Lucy knows it's too late, but she just can't stand there doing _nothing_, and as the wolf howls and drops down dead, she rushes over to Bisca. Her eyes fill with tears as she sees how badly wounded Bisca is._

_Sagittarius keeps the enemy at bay with his inexhaustible supply of arrows, giving Lucy time to bend over Bisca and cradle the other girl's head. _

_"Lucy." Bisca's voice comes out as a nasty gurgle._

_"I'm here." Tears roll down Lucy's face, splashing on Bisca._

_"Show them . . . that Fairy Tail won't ever back down."_

_"We will. We'll show them." Lucy's crying in earnest now, as reality sinks in — the first death. She's seen the first death in this battle, and she doesn't want to see any more._

_"And tell Alzack . . ."_

_"I promise. I'll take care of him."_

_And with a sigh, Bisca's gone. _

_The scene stops and shifts.__ Darkness, then once more the images start._

"They will come. They will come in three months in your time, and Fairy Tail will be ravaged. You will see."

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><p><em>Lucy sees Fairy Tail again, only this time her guild is demolished. Empty. There is nothing left. <em>_Her friends are gone. Fairy Tail crumbles down._

_Her heart breaks as she scans the area for any signs of life, of her friends._

_Her eyes stop on a figure in front of her guild. He _— _for she knows it is a man _— _is covered in a black cloak, and there is a pulsing mass of shadows surrounding him. _

_He holds something up, and Lucy knows it is the Staff, and it is glowing brighter and brighter by the second, as if absorbing a great quantity of magical power. And with a jolt, Lucy realizes that it is absorbing the magical power left from Fairy Tail's dead mages. _

_Natsu._

_Gray._

_Erza._

_Happy._

_Levy._

_Everyone is dead. _

_Everyone __is killed, and their magical power will be stored in the Staff, to use it for the man's evil intentions, and Lucy feels a rush of sudden anger and hatred._

_The scene shifts again._

"He will need a long time to gather the necessary magic power and create the incantation for unleashing the Staff's stored magic — but he will get it done. He will . . ."

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><p><em>The same man as before holds the Staff up in front of a large dark green sphere that pulses with raw energy <em>— _Lucy thinks it might be a portal _— _and mutters some words. The Staff is glowing all the while, and Lucy has a knot in her stomach that's telling her something very bad will happen._

_And it does._

_The light from the glowing Staff connects to the sphere and it enlarges, humming and throbbing. __And then a deep rumbling voice speaks. _

"_I have returned."_

_Blackness._

". . . And finally, five years later, he will succeed."

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><p>Lucy blinked her eyes open, and just like that, the images disappeared. Beside her, Levy woke up from the vision.<p>

Future Lucy sat in front of them, fingers intertwined.

"You all saw that, didn't you?"

It was a rhetorical question, but Lucy decided to answer anyway.

"He's planning to . . . to reawaken something. Something powerful."

"Yes. Our enemy here has a very twisted religion. He worships the Dark Lord and plans to return him to our world. Once he has returned, the Dark Lord will feast on more magical power from other mages and recover his full power. He will then summon an army of the living dead to walk this earth and bring us our doom."

A stunned silence followed.

A stunned silence, followed by an exclamation of: "Oi Gray! Find your own hiding place!"

"Shut up, you hothead. They're going to find us."

"Gray! Natsu! Stop eavesdropping!" Lucy shrieked to a potted plant, where a flash of pink hair was hiding.

"But Luce, we're a team! I don't know about the ice freak —," Natsu pointed accusingly at Gray, "but I have a right to be here!"

"We all have, in fact." Makarov and Erza said from behind Levy and Lucy.

Gray folded his arms. "In your face, ash-hole."

Before a full-scale fight could start out, Erza grabbed the two boys and sat them forcefully on two café chairs.

"Sit."

Lucy savagely enjoyed them melting under Erza's glare while she bound and gagged the two boys with a spare piece of rope. "Yes, ma'am."

Makarov trotted up to future Lucy and regarded her silently. "Explain how you managed to come back to our time?"

Future Lucy grinned. "Hello, Master. And no, I didn't exactly come to your time, as you put it. I'm only a memory. I'm not a real person, and I will fade away as soon as my task here is complete."

She took a deep breath, as if reliving painful moments from the past. "_You _knew, when our enemies came, that the battle would be our last stand, Master. We had been fighting for hours. My magic was completely exhausted. Macao, Freed, Miki, Bisca, Droy, Gray, Cana. They all fell. The rest of us barricaded ourselves in what remained of our guild, but we knew it wouldn't hold for long.

And then the necromancers found a way in. A wolf got me — cracked several ribs and bit me on the neck before Erza killed it. Wendy couldn't heal me — the wounds were tainted with darkness — and you knew none of us had long to live, so you sealed the last vestiges of my dying soul and memory into the guild. You sent me back into the past and gave me my task — to tell the others that they must stop this evil in their time before it's too late."

"And how do you know all this? About the Staff, the Dark Lord, and everything else?" Erza demanded.

Future Lucy smiled bitterly at Erza. "As I have said, Erza, I am from the future. I _lived _through it. The fear, the torture, I watched the death of my comrades — everything. _That _is how I know what will happen. And it will —," here she directed her words to all the Fairy Tail mages, "unless all of you find a way to stop it."

"Lucy." Future Lucy gazed at present Lucy. "Do you know what you must do?"

All eyes turned to Lucy. Her throat felt dry and constricted, and she licked her lips. "I do. I — we — will find the Staff and make sure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands."

"And then bring it to me so I can make sure the Staff is sealed securely, once and for all. Do you understand what will happen if you all fail?"

Lucy, Levy, Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Makarov replied in unison. "We do."

And with those two simple words, Lucy knew that no matter what, her friends will see each other through.

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><p><em><strong>notes: <strong>edit, edit, edit. _

_The plot thickens! Woot!_

_-TheAliensDidIt_


	4. Chapter 3

_I know, I know. This is way past overdue. I'm so sorry._

_It was my homework, I swear, and the lousy Internet connection._

_Or it could also be my lazy arse. _

_. . . Let's pretend it's the homework and Internet, shall we?_

_Chapter 2 was edited a bit; I squeezed in a teeny tiny fight scene for __**wingedmercury **__and I (tried) to clarify how future Lucy managed to get to present Lucy's time _— _and __**dx/dt**__, it wasn't a Vulcan mind-meld because I have no idea what it is. Teehee. Sorry._

_**Forbidden-Hanyou**__, I shall be waiting for your trailer. ;D_

_**missmelon12 **__has also raised a good question _— _if there will be any pairings or not. Now, I was originally intending to make a pure friendship story. BUT. I will set up a poll soon, so if you want a pairing, vooooteee! :3_

_Thanks to everyone else who reviewed / put this story on alerts / favorites,__you make me happy!_

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><p><strong>Chapter Three.<strong>

Lucy's mouth felt dry as she finished recounting the events that unfolded to the rest of the guild. Mages from Blue Pegasus and Lamia Scale were there too, as Makarov had proposed a temporary alliance to fend off a common enemy, and as Makarov pointed out, the more mages the better to defend themselves. As Lucy finished, a hubbub rose as everyone demanded to know _what in the world is going on_.

"That's impossible! Five years from the future and back here —"

"The Staff is _missing, _Master, how can we find it?"

"What are we going to do?"

After several ineffectual attempts at quieting everyone down, Makarov literally swelled to fill up the entire guild and roared, "We are going to find this Staff before our enemies, and we will show them that our guilds are not to be underestimated! Now all you mages, QUIET DOWN."

Then he lifted his foot off a very flat-looking Natsu squished on the guild floor and promptly shrank back to proper size. "Now, Lucy," he continued as if nothing happened. "Choose a team to go with you and retrieve the Staff."

Lucy eyed them all nervously. "Team, Master? You mean, you're not coming?"

"With our doom coming three months away, Lucy, the rest of us will stay and do what we can to hold our enemies at bay. We'll need to rack up on our guild defenses."

Another outcry rose among the mages of Fairy Tail, with screams of "I wanna come along!" and was promptly quieted down by Makarov glowering at them.

Lucy blinked. "Oh. Right. Well . . ."

"Yes! I knew you'd pick me, Luce! We're a team after all, aren't we?" Natsu had somehow managed to peel himself off the floor and fist-pumped the air.

Lucy groaned. "I haven't even . . . Oh well. I suppose . . ."

Then he stopped fist-pumping and looked around. "And Happy too."

From behind Natsu, Mira clamped a hand over Happy's mouth and yanked his tail back, then hid Happy under an empty barrel, successfully stopping the blue cat from flying over to Natsu and volunteering for the quest. A muffled "Mira-chaaaaaaaaan!" was heard from inside the barrel.

Mira shook her head. "Master wants Happy to stay."

Natsu turned to Makarov and pleaded, "Old man, Happy's coming too, right?"

"No. Happy stays." Makarov growled.

"But . . ."

"No objections!"

"But — !"

"NO OBJECTIONS!"

Happy, who was apparently listening in to their conversation, appealed to Mira. "Mira-chan, why?"

"We'll need as many members as possible to help out with the guild defenses. Besides, you won't be able to help them much," Makarov grunted. "You stay."

A _thump_ was heard from inside the barrel, followed by an agonized wail from the poor cat.

Gray studiously ignored the blue cat. "If the idiot's going, then I'm coming too. There's no way he can beat me," he volunteered.

"Yeah? Well I bet I can kill more monsters than you!" Natsu seemed to perk up after the challenge.

"Don't be so sure of yourself, hothead!"

"If these two are coming, someone ought to keep them in line." Erza brandished a sword and gave Gray and Natsu a pointed look while they melted.

Lucy smiled gratefully at her friends. "So that's four. Anyone else?"

Levy bounced from behind Wakaba and chirped, "I'm coming too, Lu-chan! I have the most knowledge about the Staff than anyone here!"

"Thanks, Levy-chan. We have a five-man team, so I suppose that's enough. When do we leave, Master?"

Makarov scratched his chin thoughtfully. "We can't afford to waste any time, so the five of you will be going tomorrow. That should be enough time to prepare."

Lucy wasn't sure she could fit her entire wardrobe in a suitcase for tomorrow, but the future of the world was at stake after all, so she nodded while Erza and Gray agreed as well. "Tomorrow it is."

"Oh yeah! Some action at last! You have _no _idea how long I've been waiting for this, Luce!" A stray flame singed Lucy's hair, and Natsu quickly apologized. "Oops. Sorry 'bout that."

"Sorry? _Sorry_?" Lucy spluttered incoherently for a while, then shut her mouth and a devious glint lit up her eyes. "You do know we're taking the train, Natsu?"

Beside her, Natsu died.

* * *

><p>Tomorrow morning dawned bright and early, and if Lucy wasn't on a quest to save Fiore, she would have whined at the prospect of getting up at seven on a weekend. As it <em>was <em>a quest to save the world, she forced herself to get up and take a shower. She dragged her small bag of personal belongings — because Master had insisted that the team should travel light, they could buy whatever they wanted to on the way — to Fairy Tail.

Strolling into the guild, Lucy noticed the gloomy aura that most of the members radiated. Most were depressed because they didn't get to come along.

Lucy spotted Erza, Levy, and Gray sitting at the bar, chatting with Mira and Makarov. Natsu was nowhere to be seen — late as usual, Lucy supposed. That, or he chickened out at the prospect of riding a train. She joined them at the bar, murmured a "good morning" and quickly picked up on the conversation.

"Where do we start, Master?" Erza inquired.

Makarov tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. "The Staff disappeared a few years ago for mysterious reasons. However, as Levy here seems to be the most knowledgeable . . . do you have an answer, Levy?"

Said blue-haired girl flipped through a notebook. "Well . . . last night I tried to find out as much as I could about the Staff. All the relevant information is compiled here —," Levy pointed to the notebook, filled with paragraphs and paragraphs of her handwriting, "and according to my research, the last person who tried to use the Staff was . . . Ryuu Uchida, in Hargeon Town."

"Well, we've got our first destination, at least. We'll get some pointers from the Uchida dude," Gray said.

"Levy. When you said he was the last person who tried to use the Staff . . . what did you mean?" Erza asked.

"Well . . ." Levy gulped nervously, "Ryuu didn't understand how to properly use the Staff. As a result . . . he went insane."

Cries of "What? Insane?" echoed through the bar.

"On second thought, maybe we shouldn't go to Hargeon. I mean, an old crazy man . . . we wouldn't want to disrupt his peace, would we?" Lucy laughed nervously.

"But Lu-chan, he's the only one we can go to! Who else knows where the Staff went besides the person who used it last?"

"He's crazy, you said so yourself, Levy-chan! How are we supposed to get information out of him?"

Erza stepped in before the argument could go on. "I agree with Levy. Uchida is our only starting point. We have no choice."

"Hargeon Town it is, then. Sorry, Lucy, but you're outvoted." Gray snickered.

Lucy moaned and cursed her luck.

At that moment, a blur of pink hair zoomed next to Lucy and plopped down on a spare chair.

"What did I miss?" An overly excited Natsu shouted.

Lucy figured she would make the most of the moment. "We're going to Hargeon Town, Natsu — so bring a puke bag along."

Natsu turned green.

"Maybe we should bring Wendy-chan along, Master, she'd be very helpful in dealing with Natsu's motion sickness," Levy quipped in while Gray laughed at his rival's misery.

Natsu brightened up considerably, and their five-man team expanded to six members.

* * *

><p><em>I promise I'll put some action in the next chapter. <em>

_Asdfghjlk I can't seem to get motivated with this chapter. I'm sorry._

_Review please!_

_-__- TheAliensDidIt_


	5. Chapter 4

_I do believe my updates are getting slower. NUUUUUUUUU. _

_I have just found out how to set up a poll. I think. Vote if you want a pairing!_

_**wingedmercury: **__Aah! You reminded me that I forgot to include Happy! How could I forget that adorable blue cat? Indeed, homework be damned _— _that's what comes with being a student. Sigh. Anyway, thanks for reviewing and reminding me about Happy. Glad you enjoyed!_

_**MaJorReader619**__**, **__thanks for the constructive criticism, I'll go back to Chapter 2 and try to fix it up a bit. Also __**Footster26**__, __**Forbidden-Hanyou**__, __**PINKhairedBADDAS**__, thanks for reviewing. To everyone else: DON'T JUST FAVORITE / ALERT, REVIEWWWWW. Please?_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Four. <strong>

Lucy did not appreciate being jostled each time the train bumped along a rock or a hole in the ground, but she chose to blame the jostling to Gray and Natsu's spat in the back corridor of the train. Thanks to Wendy, Natsu acquired a new love for transportation; he was currently running back and forth in the train's interior — they were the only ones on the train, Lucy was glad for that — and waging a fire-and-ice war with Gray.

Lucy wished for the sixteenth time that the boys would quiet down so she could actually concentrate on reading her novel. Beside her, Wendy was giggling at the boys' antics and alternately cheering on Gray and Natsu. Erza was sitting on the window seat, looking at the passing scenery. Levy was engrossed in her own book; Lucy wondered how she could concentrate with the noise.

As the spat reached its climax — Gray and Natsu shouted insults to each other that Lucy didn't want to hear — Erza seemed to snap out of her daydream and hissed, "BEHAVE."

The yelling abruptly ceased as both boys dragged their sorry selves to the compartment. Natsu plopped down next to Lucy as Gray slid next to Erza.

Shooting a final glare at Gray and Natsu, Erza returned to enjoying the scenery.

For a few moments, there was a delicious silence as Lucy was finally able to read a few pages of her novel.

The silence was broken, however, as Natsu's blue backpack started shaking.

Identical squeals broke out from Lucy, Levy and Wendy as they scrambled away from the backpack. Erza's eyes glinted dangerously as she readied for possible combat. The temperature in the compartment dropped before rapidly increasing as Gray and Natsu readied their magic.

"What the hell did you put in your bag, idiot?" Lucy screeched.

"Nothing that should be moving like that, Luce, I swear!" Natsu held his hands up in an 'I'm innocent' gesture.

The shaking intensified, accompanied with scratching sounds from inside the backpack and everyone held their breath —

— as a flying fish burst out, followed by . . . a flying cat.

"MRS. FIIIIIIIIIIISHHH! COME BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACKKK!"

It took about two seconds for Lucy to comprehend the situation.

"Happy!" Natsu exclaimed happily.

Beside her, Lucy felt Wendy and Levy sigh in relief.

"Stupid cat . . ." she heard Gray muttered, and wholeheartedly agreed with him.

Erza promptly speared Happy with her eyes and the blue feline abandoned his chase for the flying fish, which fluttered forlornly out the open train window.

"You're not supposed to be here," Lucy sputtered.

"Indeed. Explain why you disobeyed Master," Erza glowered.

Happy pulled his famous I'm-an-adorable-cat-so-don't-hurt-me look and widened his eyes for good measure. "But Natsu and Lucy and Gray and Levy are going and even Wendy-chan is going and I don't want Natsu and Lucy to go 'cause I'll miss them and Wendy-chan always gives me the best fish and —"

"GO HOME."

"But — but — but . . ."

"We're almost to Hargeon, Erza, can't we let Happy come?" Natsu ventured.

"Yes!" Happy cheered. "Besides, we could get a cool story to tell Charle when we get back!"

Lucy, Wendy, Levy and Gray had the sense to stay silent, as an angry Erza was never good.

After a few seconds of quiet contemplating on Erza's part, she finally growled, "When we get back, Happy, you are not to have any fish from Mira _ever. Again._"

Happy fluttered happily — after all, they knew Mira wouldn't be able to resist.

* * *

><p>Fifteen minutes later, the group arrived at Hargeon Town as their train pulled up at the station.<p>

Lucy, Natsu, Erza, Gray, Wendy, Levy and Happy got down and were rewarded with dirty looks from the Hargeon citizens, directed to Natsu — apparently they hadn't forgotten how he had trashed their harbor.

Needless to say Natsu remained oblivious to all the glares.

"Levy, where does Ryuu Uchida live?" Erza studiously ignored the citizens.

"Ah! Right . . . follow me!" Levy chirped.

They marched single file, Levy leading the way, and failed to notice the pair of eyes that watched their every move.

* * *

><p>Lucy and the others arrived in front of Ryuu Uchida's house — a ramshackle thing with peeling paint and window shutters that hung off their hinges.<p>

Her first impression: she did not want to go in.

Erza took charge, however. "Happy, Wendy, Levy, stay outside and guard."

"Aye!" Happy chirped. Wendy and Levy nodded.

"Guard?" Lucy gulped. The word didn't sound good.

Erza's eyes narrowed. "It could very well be a trap or an ambush, Lucy."

". . .Right."

"Enough with the chitchat, let's get some ACTION!" Natsu's fire burst into life in his hands.

"Idiot! Don't be so loud!" Gray hissed.

Natsu opened his mouth to retort, then thought it would be better to shut up with Erza around.

Erza stopped and reconsidered. "Gray. Outside. The sight of you and Natsu together would kill the old man."

Gray muttered something about not wanting to miss the action, but quailed at Erza's glare and stationed himself next to Levy.

"Um, Erza, I could guard outside instead of Gray if you want . . ." Lucy trailed off nervously.

Without a word, Erza shoved Natsu and Lucy inside.

* * *

><p>The inside of the house was extremely gloomy, Lucy decided. There were dustings of cobwebs and the carpets were in severe need of vacuuming. There was so much dust on them, in fact, that Lucy couldn't decide what their original color was. There was a teapot and a cup on a table in front of them, layered with dirt, crumbs, and a disgusting green thing that Lucy suspected was a type of plant.<p>

"Uchida-san . . .?" Lucy said uncertainly.

"HEY OLD MAN! COME OUT BEFORE I —"

Erza silenced Natsu by clamping a hand over his mouth. "Uchida-san, we are mages of Fairy Tail and we'd like to ask you a few questions concerning the Staff of Testament."

There was a muffled clinking sound from a room to Erza's right, which Lucy identified as a kitchen.

Wordlessly, the three of them followed the noise into the dark kitchen.

After a few moments, Lucy's eyes adjusted to the darkness and she could make out an old man crouched by the cupboard, muttering inaudible things and rearranging a pile of plates.

"Uchida-san?" Erza questioned.

The old man didn't turn around, and Natsu took it as his liberty to yell, "Oi! Old fart! We're on an important mission here, so — OOMPH."

Erza clamped her hand over his mouth again and spoke loudly, "Uchida-san. Please turn around."

This time the old man turned.

Lucy gasped in surprise as she saw his wrinkled face, yellowed teeth and wispy strands of hair. Most shocking of all, though, were his eyes. They were white, glazed over, and sunken into his face — Lucy shuddered as the hollow orbs of madness fixed themselves to the trio. His body was hunched over and slouched, as if he had lost the will to stand up properly.

"Uchida-san, Uchida-san . . . who is this Uchida-san you speak of? Me? No, not me . . . not me, who am I? I'm not Uchida-san . . . I'm no one . . . no one, I tell you . . ." his voice was scratchy like sandpaper and hoarse at the same time; it made the hairs on the back of Lucy's neck stand up.

She shared a glance with Erza and Natsu. The old man was clearly mad, which could only mean that he _was _Ryuu Uchida.

Erza cut off his ramblings. "Right. Well, we have some questions to ask you about the Staff of Testament."

Ryuu cocked his head to the side like an inquisitive sparrow, milky white eyes regarding Erza.

"We, um . . . we want to know what happened the last time you tried to use it," Lucy said, while Erza glared at Natsu and silently told him to shut up.

Ryuu shuffled to the kitchen table, his joints creaking with the movement, and started fiddling with a set of silverware. "Used it? No. No, no, no, no, no. You are wrong. Very wrong. You are mistaken, little girl . . . I didn't use it . . . no, don't want to talk about it. The Staff is gone. Gone, gone, gone . . . good riddance . . ."

"Gone? What do you mean, gone?" Erza demanded.

Ryuu gripped the silverware tighter and rearranged them more frantically. "Stolen . . . stolen, but good riddance . . . it killed my Michelle, my Michelle . . . killed my Michelle . . . she's dead, she's dead, it killed her . . . it killed her . . . IT KILLED HER!"

With an animalistic screech, Ryuu launched himself at Erza with a fork in his hand.

Erza jumped out of the way with a shout, instantly re-quipping to her battle-ready armor.

"IT KILLED HER! MY MICHELLE! IT KILLED MY MICHELLE!"

Ryuu gave up on Erza and turned to Lucy instead, knuckles white with his grip on the fork.

Lucy tumbled backwards with a shriek, narrowly avoiding the fork to her eye, and Natsu kicked Ryuu away from the stellar spirit mage.

"Erza! This dude's dangerous, we gotta take him down!" Natsu yelled.

"Understood. It looks like the others aren't coming in, so we'll have to handle this ourselves. Lucy, get ready."

Lucy pushed herself up and shakily summoned Loke, who seemed to sense the serious atmosphere and readied himself by Lucy's side without questions.

Natsu initiated the attack, throwing a fiery punch to the old man, but Ryuu dodged with uncanny swiftness, swiped at Natsu — Lucy stared at his two-inch-long fingernails which surely weren't that long before — and left bleeding scratches on Natsu's shoulder.

"Dammit! Fire Dragon's —"

"No! We can't blow up Hargeon again!" Lucy interrupted.

Ryuu used the distraction to barrel into Natsu. At the same instant, Erza swung her sword and Loke fired his Regulus magic. Ryuu jumped away on all fours like an animal, and Lucy tried to coil her whip around him to hold him in place.

It worked — in a way.

As the whip came sailing towards Ryuu, it wrapped around his arm. He pulled hard, and Lucy flew to his direction with the force of the pull.

Erza intercepted before Ryuu could stab Lucy, aiming a swipe at his head and forcing him to back off. Natsu kicked at the old man, but Ryuu grabbed his foot and twisted.

Lucy's whip wrapped around Ryuu's neck and Loke's magic-infused punch hit him on his stomach. Natsu wrenched free of the old man's grip on his foot and followed suit with a flaming fist to his face.

Ryuu staggered back — _what the hell? He should've at least been knocked out with that! _Lucy thought — as Erza brought her sword down but missed him by an inch. He growled and crashed into Erza, landing on her back like a monkey, and tried to bite at her neck.

Erza gave a shout a knocked him off, but he managed to leave bloody furrows on her neck. Ryuu scampered away, baring his teeth — no, fangs — at them.

Natsu tackled the old man and they rolled around before Natsu kicked him away and leapt to his feet. Before Ryuu had time to recover, Lucy's whip pinned his arms to his side and effectively immobilized him. Loke fired Regulus to the crazed old man, smashing him back against the kitchen wall. Natsu threw a fiery punch at Ryuu — _the solar plexus too, good job, Natsu! _Lucy thought happily — and Erza finished with a neat diagonal slash from Ryuu's right shoulder to left hip.

Howling, Ryuu toppled down, twitched once, and stopped moving.

The four of them stared in surprise at Ryuu's body. There was no blood.

Instead, his body _melted _like a sack of ice cream. Lucy shuddered in disgust as his skin wrinkled up even more and his glazed eyes disappeared inside the folds of skin. After a few seconds he was as flat as a balloon with the air gone out of it.

"I believe we're done here," Erza finally broke the silence.

"Old fart put up a fight though," Natsu remarked.

"Ah! Good job, Loke, you can go back now," Lucy said.

"Anything for you, my pri —"

"BACK!"

Loke disappeared with a puff of smoke.

She sighed and sat down on a wrecked kitchen chair, assessing the damage they had done to the house. After a while Lucy figured that it was so run-down in the first place, no one would notice the additional damage.

"Well, we figured out that the Staff was stolen," Lucy said.

"He wasn't helpful at all!" Natsu huffed indignantly.

Erza had been quiet through the whole conversation, but now she spoke. "No. We did find something useful here."

"What?" Natsu perked up.

Erza held up a dusty black book with the name _Ryuu Uchida _in front of it. "His journal. We will be able to get some information out of this."

Lucy stared in admiration. Trust Erza to come up with a solution in a situation like this!

"Let's go, then! We have to tell the others!"

* * *

><p>Erza, Lucy and Natsu were greeted with surprised exclamations at their disheveled appearance when they stepped out of the house. After they were told the story, Levy alerted the local Hargeon authorities to dispose of Ryuu's body. Wendy got to work healing Erza and Natsu.<p>

The seven of them crowded around the journal while Lucy flicked through the pages, looking for something that was related to the Staff.

"Here!" Lucy exclaimed.

* * *

><p><em>April 23<em>

_My little Michelle has been diagnosed with can__cer and the hospital says she only has two months left to live. The cancer has progressed too far, they say, and she cannot be saved. Her lifespan can, however, be prolonged with painful treatments _— _treatments I have denied. Why must she suffer? Why must my little girl go through such pain at such an early age?_

_I am planning to make those two months the most enjoyable for her. Michelle knows she is sick, as she overheard me talking with the doctor. She knows she's dying. But she doesn't fight it. It's as if my brave little girl has accepted her fate. _

_The hospital says they understand my pain. They offer me condolences. They offer me money, as if that will help ease Michelle's pain. They say they understand. Ha! They know nothing._

_Ryuu._

* * *

><p>Lucy felt a tear slip down her eyes. Beside her, Wendy and Levy were sniffling and Happy was wailing in Natsu's shoulder. Gray was mumbling under his breath and Erza had a brooding look in her eyes.<p>

"Michelle must be his little daughter. I think he wrote this before he went mad . . .?" Levy asked uncertainly.

Erza looked at her and nodded in confirmation. "Lucy, go on reading."

* * *

><p><em>May<em>_ 25_

_Michelle's health is steadily deteriorating. Still she smiles as if nothing is wrong _— _my precious girl, I cannot bear to lose that smile. _

_Ryuu._

* * *

><p><em>May 27<em>

_Yesterday a strange woman came knocking on my door. She offered me a way to save Michelle with a magical item that can grant me any wish I desire. I must admit the idea sounds tempting. Michelle's time is ticking away, and what have I to lose? _

_I have decided. I will take up on her offer. _

_Ryuu._

* * *

><p>There was a silence after they finished reading that passage.<p>

"Any guesses on what this magical item was?" Natsu finally said.

"It's the Staff, isn't it, Lucy-san?" Wendy asked.

"I think so . . ." Lucy whispered. She flicked the pages some more, but the next passages were written in garbled Madman Language and Lucy did not feel up to translating it. "The next entries were written after he went crazy; it's just a bunch of random words in different languages."

"So, let's summarize what we've learned so far," Levy said.

"The old fart had a daughter named Michelle," Natsu plowed on insensitively, earning him a bonk on the head from Lucy.

"His daughter died, you idiot, show some sympathy!"

"Sympathy? He tried to _kill _us —!"

"The Staff made him crazy, it wasn't his fault!"

Erza overrode their argument. "His daughter was diagnosed with cancer and she only had two months left to live."

"Then a damned lady gave him the Staff and told him it could save Michelle," Gray said.

"Ryuu tried to use the Staff, but he had no idea how it worked . . . so the Staff backfired, killed Michelle, and made him go mad," Levy quipped.

"Then he said the Staff was stolen. I'm guessing the same person who gave it to him stole it back," Lucy said.

"Uchida attacked us though," Erza said thoughtfully. "It's safe to assume that the madness also gave him animal-like instincts."

Lucy banished the thought of his long nails and fangs. "Now the question is: who stole the Staff, and where did he or she take it to?"

"We should ask around. Maybe other citizens can help us," Erza instructed.

As the seven of them walked away, no one noticed the pair of eyes watching their every move.

* * *

><p><em>Whee. It's a long chapter. I don't know how the fighting scene turned out, so let me know what you think? Thanks for reading!<em>

_-__- TheAliensDidIt _


	6. Chapter 5

_WHAT UP, EARTHLINGS. _

_I've decided to keep the poll open all throughout this story, which will give you pleeeenty of time if you want a pairing. _

_**Footster26**__, there will be a confrontation between the watcher and the gang pretty soon, and I will try to make it interesting. ~ _

_**Opera House**__, __**MaJorReader619**__, and __**PINKhairedBADDAS**, __thank you so much for reviewing and I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. Your reviews make me happy. _

_**Lucy H**__, I will be putting some romance, so you can look forward to some NaLu moments, but the pairings may change depending on the poll votes. _

_Only three words for you, __**wingedmercury**_— _I love you. You're too nice._

_And we start _— _now._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Five.<strong>

At seven PM, everyone met up at _The Hairy Lemon_, a merry little tavern where they all sat down and ordered dinner.

"Did anyone find any information?" Erza asked.

Lucy, Levy, Wendy, and Gray shook their heads moodily. Natsu and Happy were engaged in a chicken-eating competition and seemed to ignore the conversation, so Lucy assumed they also didn't find anything.

"All the people I asked avoided the question and said they didn't know anything, then ran off," Lucy jabbed her fish crossly.

"That, or they never really cared enough to think about what happened to the old man," Gray muttered.

"They said Ryuu-san was a dangerous lunatic and we should've stayed away from him," Wendy said.

"He was dangerous," Natsu offered, cheeks bulging with chicken.

"But I don't understand! I even went to the library but _not once _was the Staff or Ryuu mentioned in any of the books. There was absolutely nothing useful in this town's library!" Levy wailed, as the library had never failed her before.

"A few people I asked didn't even know who Ryuu was," Lucy said. "I mean, how weird is that? Hargeon's not that big, and the citizens would know if a crazy old man lived in their town."

Erza tapped her chin thoughtfully. "We can all agree, however, that the citizens never gave us straight answers . . ."

"It's as if they don't _want _to talk about Ryuu," Gray said.

"I think you may be right, Gray-san," Wendy agreed.

Lucy looked at the bartender carefully and stood up. "Well, let's prove that theory, shall we?"

"Lu-chan? Where are you going?" Levy asked.

"Wait and see, Levy-chan . . ."

Lucy made her way across the tavern and approached the bartender — a tall, ash-blond young man. "Excuse me," Lucy said, and leaned on the counter suggestively for good measure, "but my friends and I are mages from Fairy Tail on a mission, and we'd like to know if you can help by giving us information about Ryuu Uchida . . .?"

The bartender — whose nametag said Aiden — eyed Lucy up and down before replying. "Lady, I don't know any Ryuu Uchida, and I've never heard my father talk about him before."

Lucy was flabbergasted. She could almost see the words _Epic Fail _etched into her forehead, describing her pathetic attempt at seduction. "Are . . . are you sure?"

"You're hot and I'd take you any day, but I don't know any Ryuu Uchida." Aiden snorted and leaned closer to Lucy —

— and suddenly Natsu was right beside her, growling aggressively at the bartender, who backed off quickly and busied himself with the dishes.

Natsu pulled Lucy away and led her back to their table. From behind her, she could just hear Aiden say, "Should've told me you were taken . . ."

Blushing prettily and unable to contain her indignation at the same time, she yelled, "I'm not!"

By the time Lucy and Natsu sat down on their seats, they had silently agreed not to mention that little incident to the rest of their friends. Lucy shoved it away to the back of her mind and focused on her friends.

"How did it go, Lucy?" Erza was the first to ask.

"He said he didn't know any Ryuu Uchida," Lucy answered.

Suddenly Erza stiffened as a person slid into their table and sat on an empty seat. The newcomer — a girl, Lucy realized — had black hair and pale blue eyes.

"I'm sorry to barge in like this, but I couldn't help listening to your conversation with the bartender," she said. Her voice was soft and nervous and she was twiddling her thumbs as she spoke. "I know what happened to Ryuu and the Staff."

"How can we trust you?" Erza asks suspiciously.

"Um. Well, I don't suppose I have any proof that I can be trusted . . . you'll just have to risk it for my information, I think?" she said.

"I think we should listen to her, Erza-san," Wendy quipped. "She seems trustable."

The newcomer smiled at Wendy's support, then blinked in surprise as Natsu started sniffing her, which promptly earned him a bonk from Lucy.

"She doesn't smell bad," Natsu finally said, satisfied with his sniffing.

"I'm . . . not sure if I should feel insulted . . .?"

"The bad guys have this kind of smell," Natsu explained. "You don't smell like them, so I'm guessing you're not a bad guy."

"Ahh . . . I see . . ."

"So what's your name?" Levy chirped.

"I'm Keiko."

"Levy."

"Wendy."

"Lucy."

"Erza."

"Natsu."

"Gray."

"Happy!" trilled the cat. "Keiko-chan, do you have any fish?"

"You just had chicken, Happy, now leave the poor girl alone," Lucy scolded.

"Anyway, Kei-chan, the Staff . . .? Levy prodded.

"Oh. Right. Um . . . I assume you know what happened to Ryuu's daughter, Michelle? Her condition was known all throughout Hargeon. We were all very sorry for Ryuu and we tried to help, but there was nothing anyone could do. We also knew a mysterious stranger offered him a magical item — the Staff — that could supposedly cure Michelle, but we didn't know if he accepted or not. Hargeon is a small town, you see, so the news spread quickly.

"We got our answer one night. My friend and I felt an explosion of magic power, so we knew instantly that Ryuu accepted the offer and tried to use the Staff. We were on the outskirts of Hargeon at that time, and we came running back as soon as we felt it. On the way back, we sensed a person holding a powerful magical object. We figured the person was the same one who gave Ryuu the Staff and he or she stole it back or something — that was our first clue that something twisted was going on. I mean, offering the Staff to cure your dying daughter, just like that? It sounded too good to be true.

"Anyway, when we ran into the person — a woman, we found out — we sensed this evil aura she seemed to radiate, so we thought it'd be a good idea to hide. Fortunately, she didn't notice us. She was kind of talking to herself — we thought it was a sort of telepathy link to another person — and she mentioned that 'the experiment was a success', she had gotten back the Staff, and she was heading to Galuna Island."

"Galuna Island? Why?" Lucy interrupted.

"Galuna Island is the location of one of Grimoire Heart's former bases."

There were gasps around the table.

"Former? They're not using the base anymore, then?" Erza said.

"The base was abandoned a few years ago, but there _is _a possibility that our culprit met up with a Grimoire Heart member."

"You think Grimoire Heart may be involved?"

"It's very possible. Grimoire Heart is a very prominent and powerful dark guild." Keiko nodded.

"So she stole the Staff back and went to Galuna Island to give it to a Grimoire Heart member?" Levy said.

"I suppose that's our best shot, isn't it? Of course, since the incident happened three months ago, the Staff won't be at the base anymore — most likely, Grimoire Heart would have it — but you might be able to pick up some clues." Keiko said.

"YOSH! I don't know what the hell you all were talking about, but we're all going to Galuna Island right now!" Natsu roared.

Gray cast a thin layer of ice on his mouth to shut him up.

"Keiko-chan, I have a question though. Why did it feel like all the citizens didn't want to talk about Ryuu?" Levy asked.

"It was a side effect of Ryuu using the Staff. The burst of magical power played around with everyone's minds. As a result, they either forgot about what happened or didn't want to talk about it."

"But you remember it, Keiko-san," Wendy said.

Keiko twiddled her fingers. "I was born with a . . . strong mind. Stronger than most people. That's why the explosion didn't affect me, I think."

"That's also how you could sense the presence of the woman and her aura, right?" Lucy said.

"That's so cool, Keiko-chan!" Levy exclaimed, and Keiko smiled demurely.

"Keiko-san, you've been a great help to our mission. We are leaving tomorrow for Galuna Island, unless you wish to come along?" Erza said.

"Oh, I don't know, Erza-san. I'll think about it," Keiko answered uncertainly.

"Very well. We thank you for your time." Erza rose, and the rest followed suit. "Everyone, see if you can find rooms for us to spend the night here."

"Ano . . . everyone, before you go . . . there's something I need to tell you . . ."

"What?"

"When you first came inside _The Hairy Lemon_ . . . I sensed a presence watching you all . . ."

"That's bound to happen soon," Gray remarked.

Erza's face was grim. "I see. Then a confrontation will result. We will be prepared. Keiko-san, we thank you once again."

* * *

><p><em>This is such a boring filler chapter. Gahh I'm sorry.<em>

_Anyway, thanks for reading.__ You know you like that little NaLu hint I included. ;D_

_-__- TheAliensDidIt_


	7. Chapter 6

_**OmeletAnnisaXD**__: Aww thank you! Glad you enjoyed. Aku barusan ke profilemu… senang rasanya ketemu orang Indonesia juga._

_**DeadlySereneGrace**__, __**Alexmommy**__, _**PINKhairedBADDAS **_(do you mind if I just call you Pink?) and __**Footster26**__, thank you for reviewing and I'll uhh… _try… _to update faster… *squirms uncomfortably*_

_**wingedmercury**__, I'm smiling like a retard at my computer screen and my mom's asking me why. She thinks I'm mad. Your reviews do that to me. CURSES._

_Anyway. Moving on!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Six. <strong>

Lucy trailed her finger through the water as their boat sped towards Galuna Island quickly. Levy chattered away to Erza and Wendy played with Happy's ears, repeatedly turning them inside out. Gray slumped moodily beside Lucy, dark eyes glowering at the water; he was obviously thinking about the last time they went to Galuna Island and found out Gray's childhood friend was planning to revive Deliora. Keiko had decided to come along — Erza figured her affirmation was enough and didn't bother asking her why, so Lucy decided it wasn't important. In front of her, Natsu was acting as a lookout at the boat's mast. Just a few minutes ago, he was puking his guts out over the side of their boat — Lucy had finally asked Wendy to cast Troia on him.

It was _because_ — Lucy tried convincing herself — she didn't want Natsu to pollute the ocean with his half-digested chicken and whatnot.

It was definitely _not _because she genuinely felt bad for him. Nope.

She sighed as she flopped dejectedly in her seat, willing the unimportant thoughts away and trying to focus on their mission.

Lucy wished the boat would hurry up and get to Galuna Island already. She was starting to get just a teeny bit seasick _and _the ocean water that was spraying over her smelled like fish.

That aside, she was extremely grateful that Erza had managed to learn how to operate a motorboat with a three-minute-long lesson from a sailor.

* * *

><p>"We're here!" Natsu cheered happily, and promptly dried everyone's wet clothes.<p>

Jumping off the boat, they all surveyed their surroundings. Lucy hoped she wouldn't encounter another giant, rabid rat named Angelica.

"Keiko-chan, do you know where the former base is?" Lucy asked, to get her mind off the rat.

Keiko, who had been looking nervous ever since they arrived, jumped when Lucy said her name. "Ah! No, I don't. I'm sorry."

"Then we will split up and look," Erza said, eyeing Keiko curiously at the same time. "Wendy and Gray, you'll go left. Lucy, Natsu, and Happy, the right side. Keiko-san, you're coming with Levy and I."

_Erza probably wants to keep an eye on her, _Lucy thought. After all, Keiko _had _been acting jumpy.

"We meet back here in a few hours. Behave, you two." Erza glared icily at Gray and Natsu.

"Yes ma'am!" They chorused, followed by an "Aye!" from Happy.

Lucy wondered when she would get to Erza's level of intimidation so she could silence them both.

* * *

><p>"Natsuuuuuu, we haven't found anything," Lucy whined. "We've been walking for hoouuuuurss."<p>

"Why don't you call that clock thing?"

"That _clock thing _is a spirit, and Horologium isn't just a mode of transportation I can use anytime."

"You used it when we went to subdue that Vulcan that took over Macao."

"Aye!"

"You shut up, cat. You've got wings. And Natsu, that was a long time ago!"

"Yeah, yeah, have it your way, Luce."

"We still haven't found the base yet. Can we go back now?"

"But Erza said split up and look! If we don't . . . she'll claw our eyes out!" Happy wailed.

"Fine." Lucy pouted.

They walked on in silence for several minutes, eyes straining through the trees to see anything that resembled a Grimoire Heart base.

Lucy's eyes drooped shut slowly. It was hot and she was tired and there was nothing to do but walk —

— and suddenly _something _feather-light slithered across the back of Lucy's neck. She shrieked and hid behind Natsu.

"Oi, what is it, Luce?"

"Happy! I swear, if you do that again, I'll convince Mira to restrict your fish rations!"

"Do what?"

Happy was sitting on Natsu's right shoulder.

"You mean, that wasn't . . .?"

"What's going on?" Natsu butted in.

"I felt something . . ."

Natsu stiffened and sniffed, his hands igniting in twin balls of flame instantly. "Someone's here."

Lucy tensed and readied her keys, ready to fight or else jump aside at the slightest movement. Happy hid in Natsu's hair.

Suddenly Natsu's fire sputtered out. "Funny. I don't smell anything now."

Lucy gawked at him. "Wha—?"

"Must have run away or something," Natsu grinned. "I mean, I am pretty awesome."

"Idiot." Lucy smacked him. "You scared me. Can we go back now?"

"Aw, but Luce —"

"_Now."_

* * *

><p>Lucy, Natsu, and Happy returned to their meeting point to find Erza, Levy, and Keiko there.<p>

"Find anything?" Erza asked.

"Nope." Lucy shook her head.

"Then I guess we have to wait for Gray and Wendy," Levy said.

As if on cue, Wendy came running excitedly. Gray followed behind her, looking extremely pleased at himself.

"Everyone! We found the base! Come on!" Wendy beamed.

Gray shot a smug _I-win-you-suck _look in his rival's face.

Natsu positively smoldered. "Come on, Luce," he muttered, and dragged her along.

* * *

><p>Ten minutes later the eight of them stood in front of the rusty Grimoire Heart base. It was cylindrical-shaped and made entirely out of metal (enough to make Gajeel proud), and all in all it seemed to radiate a haunted aura.<p>

Lucy would have dug her heels in the dirt and _stayed the hell out_, but Natsu practically shoved her inside and Erza was — well, Erza was Erza. And Erza was scary.

Inside the base was dark, gloomy, and there was the occasional _drip, drip, drip _of water leaking. The interior was fashioned like a science laboratory, Lucy realized. Somehow, Grimoire Heart never struck her as the scientific type. Several tables and metal chairs were wedged in the room they were in. Three corridors branched off in different directions. Lucy fervently hoped she wouldn't have to go through the left corridor because she swore she saw a black thing scuttling across the floor —!

Erza, however, seemed to have other opinions. "Lucy, Natsu, Happy; left. Gray, Wendy; middle. Levy, Keiko; the right with me."

"Erza, can we please switch to another corridor —" Lucy started.

The Look promptly silenced Lucy.

"Eep! Yes ma'am! Let's go, Natsu!" She pulled the Dragonslayer along.

"What's the big idea? You were the one who wanted —"

"Never mind! Let's just go!"

As their voices slowly faded away, Gray shook his head. "Idiots."

"They're cute together; don't you think so too, Levy-san?" Wendy asked innocently.

"Now that you mention it . . ." the beginnings of an evil grin lit up Levy's face, and Keiko giggled.

"However fascinating their love life may seem, we are on an important mission here," Erza broke the mood. "Let's go, Levy, Keiko-san."

* * *

><p>Fifteen minutes and several rooms later, Lucy was bored.<p>

"Hey, Natsu. We still haven't found anything. What does Erza want us to look for, anyway?"

"Dunno. I'm bored."

"Aye!"

"You're no help," she muttered. They were exploring the fifth room in the left corridor, and so far Lucy decided all the rooms were identical. Absently trailing her finger through the dust that accumulated on a chair, she cast her eyes around the room once again, hoping to find something important. Three worn posters were peeling off on the wall and there was some sort of bulletin board on the far right corner.

"Nothing here," Natsu reported.

"Figures. Let's move on . . . hey, wait, what's that?"

On a table, stashed behind a lump of cobwebs, a glimmer of blue caught Lucy's eye. As Happy flew over and dropped it in Lucy's hand, she realized it was a necklace with an oval gemstone pendant.

"This might be important," Lucy decided.

"Yes! Now Erza won't kill us!" Natsu cheered.

"Aye!"

As they headed back, a pair of eyes flashed in the darkness.

* * *

><p>Everyone else was already waiting when Lucy and Natsu returned.<p>

"Lu-chan, find anything? None of us did," Levy said.

Lucy held up the blue necklace. "This is all we found, but I don't think it can point us in the right direction . . ."

Erza held it up thoughtfully. "On the contrary, if this belongs to our culprit, it should contain a trace of his or her magic. Now, if only we could track it . . . Natsu, Wendy, see if you can scent something."

The two Dragonslayers sniffed at the necklace.

"I'm getting something, Erza-san!"

"Good. Now try to trace the magic to its owner, or at least point us in the right direction."

"This scent . . . it's pointing me somewhere . . ." Natsu closed his eyes and scrunched his face in concentration. Suddenly he stiffened and his eyes sprang open in surprise. "It's right here in this room!"

Mock applause drifted to the group of eight as a figure stepped out of the shadows. A pair of icy green eyes surveyed the group, framed by locks of white hair.

"I sincerely congratulate you for figuring out where our base is," she said. The woman's voice was melodious, but Lucy did not allow it to cloud her judgment; she knew that honeyed voice could change to a sadistic one in a matter of seconds. "Now, that necklace contains information that shouldn't fall into your hands, so you will hand it over and no one will get hurt."

"Get hurt? Lady, look at this situation! You're one against eight!" Gray burst out. Then he looked at Happy. "Well. Maybe seven."

"Hey, Happy's a part of the team, too!" Natsu objected.

"A flying cat won't do much good, ash-hole."

"Are you insulting — MMPH!"

"You two . . ." Erza bashed their heads together violently. "I will say this one last time. _Behave."_

"Yes ma'am!"

Lucy smacked her forehead against the wall. "They made us look like idiots . . . in front of an enemy, no less!"

"Um . . . Lucy-san, are they always like this?" Keiko ventured nervously.

"You have no idea," Levy and Wendy chirped cheerfully.

The woman watched the scene with amusement clearly written all over her face.

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH! YOU'RE GOING DOWN!" Natsu pointed a flaming finger and tried to tackle her, promptly followed by Erza and Gray. Lucy, Levy, and Wendy swiftly readied their attacks. Happy burrowed in Keiko's hair and the poor girl stood watching the battle, looking a little lost.

"I don't suppose you have any magic, do you Keiko-chan?" Lucy asked, grabbing her whip.

"Ah . . . I don't think so . . . I'm not a mage . . ."

"Then please stay back, Keiko-chan," Levy said, and promptly tried to drop a hammer over their enemy's head.

The woman did not look fazed at being severely outnumbered. "So that's your answer, then . . ."

And suddenly a ball of lead settled in Lucy's stomach, and she got the feeling that this woman was a lot more powerful than she seemed.

A millisecond before Gray's ice lance impaled her, darkness enveloped Lucy and plunged her into an illusion.

* * *

><p><em>There is<em>_ the sensation of falling._

_Falling._

_Falling._

_Panic._

_She is__ suffocating in the darkness, the blackness, she can't see, she can't breathe, _make it go away —

— _and __suddenly the blackness clears and she can see again, but what greets her eyes isn't a welcome sight._

_It i__s her mama. _

_Her mama, lying on her deathbed. Her skin is impossibly pale, her eyes weary, her lips bloodless. And a mere heartbeat later a sharp piece of glass impales her mother, pierces through her heart, the wound is spurting blood and spraying Lucy with the red liquid and Lucy is screaming, screaming for it to stop, make it stop make it stop makeitSTOP —_

— _then her mother melts away and she is replaced with her father. His eyes are cold and his mouth is turned up in a condescending sneer. "Not now, Lucy. I don't have time for you. I will never have time for you."_

_The words echo in her head. _

_Never._

_Never._

Never.

"_No,"__ Lucy whispers painfully, curling up into a ball. "Just a dream . . . a nightmare . . . an illusion, not true . . ." but she can't stop the tears from leaking. She rocks back and forth and buries her head in her arms to shut out the sight of her father._

_It's better now, because she can't see him. __She thinks it's over, but she's wrong._

_Now she hears screams._

_Dozens of screams. _

_She jolts her head up, eyes wide with panic, and in front of her, she sees . . ._

_. . . she sees Mira, howling in pain and clutching her bleeding stomach. _

"_Mira! Mira-chan!" _

_But it's no use. Mira drops down, convulses once, then stills. _

"_No more . . . please . . ." salty tears drip down Lucy's cheeks. She knows it's an illusion, it's a nightmare, but she can't shake the feeling of horror off. _

_The illusion doesn't listen. It goes on._

_Mira's motionless body disappears and a bloody __Elfman takes her place. After Elfman, it's Macao _— _then Levy _— _then Cana _— _then Gajeel _—

_Lucy pushes herself to her feet __and starts to run. She doesn't know where she's going. The only coherent thought in her mind is to get away. _

_There's no escape, however. _

_A dismembered Erza blocks Lucy's way. Proud, dangerous Erza _— defeated.

_Then Wendy. Gray. Natsu._

_Lucy sobs convulsively. Her heart shatters at the sight of he__r comrades, bleeding and broken and _dead.

_A voice resounds through her mind. "It's your fault."_

"_No . . ."_

"_Your fault they're dead."_

"_No!"_

"_It's because you're weak."_

"_I . . ."_

"_You can never compare to them."_

"_But I . . . I tried . . ."_

"_You're pathetic." _

_Lucy looks up to see __Sagittarius in front of her. An arrow is pointed straight between her eyes. _

"_Sagittarius!"_

"_Sayonara, Lucy." Sagittarius cackles madly, his hand releases the arrow _—

* * *

><p>And then the illusion lifted.<p>

Lucy blinked her wet eyes open in surprise. The rest of her friends were writhing on the ground with their eyes tightly shut, and Keiko — Keiko stood in front of the woman, arms raised high. Her entire body radiated a pale blue light, and it took Lucy about half a second to figure out that Keiko had canceled out the illusion.

A mere heartbeat later, however, the woman shot towards Keiko and caught her throat in a choking grip.

"You . . ." the woman hissed dangerously, fingers tightening their hold. However, in doing so, she let her illusion down for a second —

— a second was all Lucy needed.

Her whip sang through the air and five other attacks, coming from her friends, collided with the woman. Her grip on Keiko was released and she went flying back and hit the wall, creating a large crater.

Wendy was the first to find her voice. "Did we do it?"

"I . . . I believe so." Erza rasped.

"Did you all see . . .?" Lucy wiped the rest of her tears away.

"Yeah," Gray and Natsu muttered. Erza, Levy, and Wendy gave shaky nods of affirmation.

Lucy looked at her friends. Natsu had suspiciously wet eyes, Gray was sweating bullets, poor Wendy was trembling, Levy was sobbing openly, and even Erza was shaken.

Suddenly remembering Keiko, Wendy got to work healing the older girl.

"Are you OK, Keiko-chan?" Levy asked worriedly.

"You really saved us back there," Lucy sighed.

Keiko smiled shakily.

"That was pretty cool, what did you back there," Gray grinned. Everyone's mood instantly lightened.

Only Erza seemed stiff. "I believe you owe us an explanation. Who are you, _Keiko?"_

"Erza, what —" Natsu started.

Keiko looked up resignedly at Erza. "I knew you'd get suspicious soon enough, Erza-san . . . very well. You deserve to know."

She took a deep breath before continuing.

"I am Michelle."

* * *

><p><em>Cliffy! Yay! I am exceptionally proud of this long chapter.<em>_ If you're confused, all will be explained in the next chapter._

_Now review, pretty please. _

_-__- TheAliensDidIt_


	8. Chapter 7

_I'd like to apologize for the previous cliffhanger. It was just . . . too irresistible. _

_Thanks to __**Purple Duck **__(adorable name, that one), __**Footster26**__, __**OmeletAnnisaXD**__, _**MaJorReader619**,_**wingedmercury**__, __**what lovely little nonsense.**__, and __**SabrinaKiara. **__Your reviews make me happy! I love you all!_

_Oh, and __**MaJorReader619**__, Lucy's mom died when she was a kid. Basically the illusion made Lucy remember the time when her mother was dying, but the part where she got stabbed was just made up. _

_I'm sorry this chapter took so long. My tests are coming on the 18__th__ and I've got this science project and my partner isn't very cooperative. Anyway, enjoy!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seven.<strong>

Silence.

Blink. Blink. Blink.

More silence.

After eight seconds of even more silence, a certain pink-haired Dragonslayer finally exploded.

"AAAAAHHH! WHY does this have to be so confusing?" Natsu screeched at Keiko — erm. Michelle.

Likewise, the rest of the group gawped at her in open bewilderment.

"Eh?" said Lucy, Levy, and Wendy.

"But you died!" said Gray and Happy.

Erza quickly got rid of her bout of confusion and recovered enough to summon her Intimidating Aura Level XX1. "Explain," she thundered dangerously.

Poor Keiko — erm. Michelle — practically wilted.

"I . . . uhm . . . uhh . . ."

"Erza-san," Wendy whispered. "I think you should put your sword away."

Erza blinked and looked down at her three-foot-long sword, which had miraculously appeared and positioned itself in front of Michelle's face.

"Ah. I apologize," she said, and sheathed the sword. "But you still need to explain."

"Well, when the Staff was used, it was true that the magic backfired. However, it didn't actually kill me. My physical body died, but my soul was transferred into another body," Michelle tapped her head. "This body."

"But how's that possible?" Lucy asked.

"I don't know." Michelle said thoughtfully. "I don't suppose we will ever understand how the Staff works."

"So then Ryuu . . . is your father . . ." Levy said.

Michelle's face shadowed. "After my soul was transferred, I passed out. I woke up the next day and heard about my father. The other people said he was mad and dangerous. They were all very vague and didn't want to talk about it, but I finally managed to coax it out of them. I figured out what the Staff did to my father. I moved away from my house and never saw him again. I couldn't. I couldn't bear to see him in his state, so I lived in another house on the outskirts of Hargeon. The citizens — as I've told you — had their memories wiped clean of the incident. No one remembered me. No one bothered asking who I was.

I stayed there for three months. I couldn't bring myself to see my father, but I couldn't leave either. Hargeon was — is — my home."

Wendy squeezed the older girl's hand and Lucy patted her back sympathetically.

"Mi-chan, I'm so sorry," Levy whimpered. Gray muttered something from behind that resembled "I know how you feel."

"I don't get it." Natsu announced.

"Idiot." Erza knocked him out and stuffed Happy into a convenient backpack.

Michelle choked out a watery giggle.

"But that means —" Lucy gasped, "_we killed your father! _Michelle-chan, we didn't know! We're so sorry!"

"Ah . . . I suppose it couldn't be helped . . ." Michelle sighed. "I'm kind of grateful you put him out of his misery. Someone had to do that . . ."

"But Mi-chan! Aren't you mad at us?" Levy wailed.

"Um . . . not really . . . my father should be in a better place now," Michelle said uncertainly. "Um, should I be mad?"

"No, no," Erza said hastily. "Anyway, Michelle-san, go on with your story. Your soul was transferred, you moved away from your house and still lived in Hargeon, but why didn't you tell anyone that you were Michelle? Even though their memories were gone, you could at least get someone to believe you."

"I didn't want to . . . I was afraid . . . if people knew who I am, they could send someone after me," Michelle started shaking. "I was so selfish! I didn't think about the other people of Hargeon, I didn't think if hiding my identity could put them in danger — I was _selfish!"_

Lucy looked on helplessly as a few tears ran down Michelle's face.

Surprisingly though, Gray was the one who stepped in. "What you did was perfectly reasonable. You were trying to protect yourself. The citizens of Hargeon didn't get into trouble, so it's all OK."

Erza looked at Gray approvingly.

Michelle sighed. "If you say so. I'm sorry I kept this away from all of you."

"That's OK, Mi-chan," Levy chirped.

"Michelle-san, I am going to ask you for another favor," Erza interrupted. "I'm guessing that when your soul was moved, another side effect was that the Staff gave you a stronger mind. I want you to use that ability to point us in the right direction, using this necklace."

The glittering blue necklace hung in front of Michelle's face.

"Natsu and Wendy could only smell its scent and trace it to the person who wore it last," Erza continued. "However, with your stronger-than-average mind, you might pick something up."

"I . . . I'll do my best, Erza-san!" Michelle reached for the necklace and wrapped her fingers around it and closed her eyes.

A faint thrumming resonated in the air.

Lucy gasped in surprise. The same pale blue glow surrounded Michelle now, the same glow that she saw when Michelle lifted the illusion.

A few tense minutes passed, and the girl opened her eyes.

"You are to go . . . and find Grimoire Heart."

* * *

><p><em>Next chapter will be longer, I promise.<em>

_Anyway, review please! Now our heads aren't spinning anymore, yes? I hope not._

_Here's hoping I ace my tests!_

_-__- TheAliensDidIt_


	9. Chapter 8

_Okay, so my tests aren't finished yet _— _they'll be finished this Tuesday. But since this is the weekend I plan to make the most of it. Repeat after me, now _— _ALL HAIL WEEKENDS._

_Shout-outs to:_

_**DeadlySereneGrace**__: Why thank you for the motivation! _

_**PINK**__: Natsu's little bit will be revealed right here in this chapter. :)_

_**wingedmercury: **__Yeah, I hope I surprised you with that plot twist. Thanks!_

_**OmeletAnnisaXD**__: Aww you're too kind. I love you too, and thank you!_

_**Footster26**__ and __**FairyReborn**__: Thanks. Now, you both seem to have different opinions on the length of my chapters . . . and I don't know what to do, so yeah. XD_

_Onwards!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eight.<strong>

"And do you know where Grimoire Heart might be?" Erza said.

Lucy and Levy spluttered in the background, seemingly not believing that Erza was considering such a _suicidal, in-the-depths-of-despair _plan. Wendy sat innocently on a dusty chair, playing with Happy's ears.

Needless to say, Gray and Natsu were knocked out because Erza claimed they were being "overexcited."

Michelle watched the proceedings nervously.

"Michelle-san. You were saying?" Erza prompted.

"Oh. Right. Apparently this necklace was used for Grimoire Heart members to communicate," she said, holding it up doubtfully. "I can't figure out how they did it, exactly. But since the necklace belonged to a Grimoire Heart member, I was able to track Grimoire Heart's location."

"Where?"

"Era."

"Eh?" Levy gasped. "Era? Are you sure?"

"But Era is where the Magic Council is located!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Exactly. I think it kind of makes sense, in a way," Michelle said. "Era is such an obvious choice that no one would think Grimoire Heart is there."

"That . . . kind of makes sense, Michelle-san," Wendy said.

"So it's decided. We are going to Era first thing tomorrow." Erza paused and glanced at the two unconscious boys. "Someone tell these idiots about our plans."

And with that, she marched off back to their little boat.

* * *

><p>They had decided to spend the night in <em>The Hairy Lemon <em>once more, the whole group piling into a large room that they rented.

Lucy dreamed that night, flashes of the illusion playing before her mind again.

It was different this time, though.

It lasted longer.

More painful.

Nowhere to run.

Nowhere to hide.

. . . As she saw each of her friends die, right in front of her eyes.

* * *

><p>After an hour of tossing and turning in the very narrow bed (Levy beside her was snoring, Wendy was curled up in fetal position, and Erza hogged up all the pillows) Lucy figured she wouldn't get to sleep soon. Standing up and tiptoeing over Levy, she quietly made her way over to the small balcony that hung right outside their room.<p>

What Lucy did not expect to see, however, was a pink-haired Dragonslayer sitting on the balcony railing.

"Natsu?"

"Yo Luce."

"What're you doing?"

"Can't sleep."

"Yeah, me too."

There was a moment of comfortable silence as the two looked up at the bright spatter of stars that littered the night sky. For once, Lucy found that Natsu did have his quiet moments.

Something nagged at the back of Lucy's mind.

"Say, Natsu?"

"What?"

"What did you see in your illusion?"

He didn't answer, and Lucy was about to back off when —

"Igneel."

"Huh? But isn't that good?"

"Igneel when he left."

". . .Oh."

"Yeah. What about you?"

"My mama. I saw someone kill her with a piece of glass. And my papa; he said he didn't want me."

"Your old man sucks."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Hey, Luce, Igneel wasn't all I saw."

". . .Me too, actually."

After another brief moment of silence —

"I saw you die." They both said at the same time.

"You too?" Natsu said.

"You, Erza, Gray, Levy . . . everyone." Lucy hugged her knees and stared at the sky. "You know, Natsu, seeing everyone die freaked me out more than my papa."

The signature Natsu grin appeared. "Don't worry, Luce! They can't beat me that easily!" Suddenly his grin fell and a determined glint took over his eyes. "Besides, anyone who messes with Fairy Tail will pay the price."

Lucy smiled. There was nothing like a dose of Natsu to cheer her up.

In a rare moment of thoughtfulness, Natsu patted her head.

"We'll get through this, Luce."

"I know."

* * *

><p>The next morning, the group left <em>The Hairy Lemon <em>and headed to the station to take the train to Era.

"So, Mi-chan, I guess you're not coming with us?"

"I'm staying at Hargeon, Levy-san," Michelle smiled. "I think my father . . . would want me to see him again."

Natsu laughed awkwardly. "Sorry 'bout that."

"It's no problem, really. You put him out of his misery."

The train whistle sounded.

"Let's go. Our train is leaving." Erza interrupted. "Goodbye, Michelle-san."

"Yeah, bye, Michelle-chan!"

"See ya."

"I hope we meet again, Michelle-san!"

"Aye!"

She smiled at them. "I hope we do."

As the seven of them piled into the train, they looked back at Hargeon and saw Michelle's shrinking figure, waving at them from the distance.

* * *

><p><em>A little rambling moment completely unrelated to this story.<em>

_Does anyone have any good manga recommendations for me? I've finished some short manga works, currently reading Bleach, and waiting for Fairy Tail and Soul Eater to update. I should also mention that I'm kind of picky in choosing what manga to read _— _I don't like manga that are devoted completely to romance. Any recommendations will be appreciated. _

_Anyhow! That little Natsu-Lucy bit was fun to write. Review please. The button is calling out to you._

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	10. Chapter 9

_I LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVEEEEEE._

_I'm really sorry this took so long. I have a good excuse, I swear. I just wanted some free time to literally jump on my bed and scream, "TESTS ARE OVEEEEEER!"_

_There was also the fact that my shoelace kept getting untied whenever I tried to walk towards my laptop. _

_. . ._

_Don't give me that look, untied shoelaces are dangerous. I could trip and fall and break my neck. _

_Anyways, thanks to everyone who reviewed, alerted, favorited and whatnot. Yeah, I'm too lazy to mention all the names. _

_SO I'M MAKING IT UNIVERSAL! THANKS FOR REVIEWING AND FOR THE MANGA RECOMMENDATIONS, EVERYONE!_

_^ As you have probably guessed _— _yes, I'm hyper and loaded on chocolate chip ice cream. Ahh, life's good. _

_Enjoy and review, please!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Nine.<strong>

"Lucyyy."

"Shut up Natsu."

"Luuuuuceeee."

"Shut _up, _Natsu."

"But I'm bored!"

"Play with Happy! I'm reading!"

"You're no fun."

"That's good, now leave me alone. Go bother Gray in the other compartment."

He brightened up considerably. "Why didn't I think of that? Thanks, Luce!"

"Yeah, OK, now leave me alone."

"Lu-chan, you made him go away without beating him up. That's a first," Levy observed, sitting beside Lucy. Wendy giggled.

"I don't care what method I use, just so he leaves me alone," Lucy huffed. Normally she liked train rides — looking at the passing scenery and reading was a good way to relax — but when Natsu and Gray were bickering next door and Happy was constantly annoying Erza, she wanted to get _off. _

"I can't concentrate if the two idiots are so loud!" Lucy complained and slammed her novel shut.

"Maybe you can try doing something else besides reading, Lucy-san," Wendy suggested.

Lucy banged her hand on the train's walls. "Erza! Tell Natsu and Gray to shut up!"

"I tried, Lucy," Erza's voice floated over to them calmly.

"What do you mean, you tried? Normally you can get them to shut up in three seconds flat!"

"They seem to have engaged each other in a contest to see who can ignore my death threats the best. As such, I fully confess that they're a lost cause. It's hopeless."

Lucy groaned. "Again, I'm happy we always get empty trains."

Levy patted her friend's back in a sympathetic manner.

"I'm sure we can do something else, Lu-chan, like maybe . . . look at the scenery! See, that's a pretty hill! And over there . . . wait, what's that?"

"What's what, Levy-san?" Wendy scrambled over to see.

"That . . ." Levy pointed.

Lucy strained her eyes to see what Levy was talking about. In the distance was a plume of dark purple smoke.

Heading their way.

Moving at an incredibly fast pace.

Lucy had a very bad feeling.

"Erza, something's coming —! Levy-chan, Wendy, I think we better get —"

_BOOM._

The train exploded and bits of wood and metal rained down at the group. Lucy, Levy and Wendy were unceremoniously flung off their seats and thrown to the ground. Likewise, Gray, Natsu, and Happy were in similar positions. Erza had miraculously managed to stay on her feet and had drawn her sword. The train was a smoking, shattered wreck behind them.

Lucy climbed to her feet shakily and watched as the trail of smoke zoomed away, slowed down, then turned around and doubled back towards them.

"Oi, what's that?" Natsu, ever the brightest, piped up.

"Erza, do you think it's normal for smoke to do that —"

A split second later, the smoke crashed against them. Lucy barely had time to jump away before the impact hit. Dust rose and obscured her vision, and when the dust settled, the smoke solidified to form the shape of two identical people. Both had dark blue hair and eyes and had identical expressions of evil glee on their faces.

"Fairy Tail, yeah?"

"Kinda expected you guys to be more of a challenge."

"Uh-huh."

"_Boom _went the train. Just like that."

"And you will all go _boom _as well . . ." one of them said, "if you don't _shove off _and let us complete our plan."

"So now —" Twin One said.

"Prepare —" Twin Two continued.

"To meet —"

"Your —"

"Are you twins?" Gray interrupted.

"They are?" Natsu exclaimed.

The six of them sighed collectively. "Idiot."

Twin One and Twin Two, meanwhile, were positively smoldering.

"How _dare _you interrupt our speech!"

"Unforgivable!"

"A criminal offence!"

"Yes indeed! THEY MUST DIE!"

"Yep," Natsu said. "Definitely twins."

Twin One and Twin Two blanched. "Is he always like this?"

Erza glared at Natsu. "Yes."

Twin One and Twin Two stared.

"You know, our mission was pretty simple," Twin One — or Twin Two, whichever it was, drawled.

"Kill you all. Simple, yes," Twin Two — or Twin One, said.

"So you're a part of Grimoire Heart? What, their newest member?" Levy spat.

"Grimoire Heart? Oh, no, darling."

"We don't work for them."

"We don't work for anyone in particular."

"We just work for people who pay good."

"As they say, money is everything." Twin Two said. "And when money is the prize . . . we'll go through just about anything."

"But since you Fairy Tail mages are quite entertaining, we'll make this interesting."

"Oh yes, we will. Thank us later."

Twin One pulled out a silver key. "You're all looking for the Grimoire Heart base, correct? Well, you'll need a key to open it. And I have the key."

"Good luck catching him," Twin Two said, as Twin One pocketed the key and sped off.

Erza wasted no time. "Levy, Gray, Wendy, Happy — go after the key. Natsu, Lucy — we're taking this one down."

"Yes ma'am!" Levy, Gray, Wendy, and Happy chorused and chased after Twin One.

Erza shifted to her Heaven's Wheel Armor, Natsu's hands blazed with fire, and Lucy summoned Scorpio. She felt her adrenaline pumping and shifted to her battle stance, gripping her whip tightly.

A silver blur darted to Twin Two, sword raised high.

It should have impaled Twin Two straight in the heart, but he vanished a mere heartbeat before Erza brought the sword down. Twin Two reappeared behind Erza, flashing twin serrated daggers and bringing them down Erza's back.

Scorpio fired and Lucy coiled her whip around Twin Two's hands, stopping him from stabbing Erza. Natsu decimated the spot with a fiery punch and Lucy's grip on the whip relaxed ever so slightly —

— tightened again when she realized Twin Two wasn't there.

A rush of air behind her, she ducked and rolled just in time to avoid the daggers, and Scorpio shot another blast of sand to Twin Two, but he vanished again, this time reappearing behind Erza, who raised her sword just in time to block his daggers.

Twin Two jumped back and settled down a few meters away.

"As you've probably guessed by now, my magic is teleportation. Very handy it is, too. No need for cars. And ships. And planes. I am practically undefeatable!"

"Funny, because so many believed they were until we beat them down," Natsu growled. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"

"No use," Twin Two cackled. "No use if your attacks don't hit me. Now, I'm going to happily detain you here so you won't be able to find Grimoire Heart."

"Don't underestimate the rest of us," Natsu said.

"The rest? You mean the pathetic bunch you sent to get the key? They won't last."

"Shut up!" Lucy yelled.

"Make me, little darling."

"Oh, we will. We will," Erza promised grimly, speeding towards Twin Two again.

Metal clashed against metal, sword and dagger striving to get break each other's defenses. Twin Two was a blur, swiftly disappearing and reappearing just before Erza could slash him. Natsu joined in the fight a few seconds later.

Lucy fingered her other keys and decided to bring another spirit into play.

"Open, Gate of the Maiden — Virgo!"

As the spirit appeared with a poof, Lucy pointed at Twin Two and said, "That's our opponent! Virgo, Scorpio, we're taking him down!"

"Yes, princess!"

"Yeah! We're ready!"

Scorpio and Virgo launched into the fray. Erza and Natsu looked like they hadn't gotten anywhere in the fight; both of them had scratches all over while Twin Two looked untouched.

Erza charged towards him head-on, then dove down low, almost touching the ground. Sliding behind Twin Two, she tried to strike him with her sword but he twisted and blocked with his daggers. While his daggers were locked with Erza's sword, Natsu, Virgo, Scorpio, and Lucy chose that moment to launch attacks of their own.

Natsu's flames blazed brighter than before, Lucy thrust out her whip, Virgo reached for her chains and Scorpio prepared to blast —

— Twin Two promptly vanished, and instead Erza got a fireball in her face, a red welt from Lucy's whip, a mouthful of sand, and a smack from Virgo's chains.

"You idiots!" Erza bellowed. "Watch where you're aiming!"

"Eep! We're sorry!"

"You better be —" whatever death threat Erza had in mind was cut off when Twin Two materialized in front of her, daggers poised to strike. She hastily jumped away.

"Tch," Twin Two said. "Fighting among your friends. What kind of teamwork is _that, _I wonder?"

"Fire Dragon's Crushing —"

"Too slow," Twin Two cackled, reappearing behind Natsu and kicking him hard.

"Dammit, stop moving!"

"Now, _am _I likely to do that?"

"We'll make you!" Lucy shouted, having just about enough. "Scorpio, Virgo!"

The spirits charged towards Twin Two, followed closely by Erza and Natsu. Lucy's whip sailed to him, tied around his feet, and Lucy yanked, tripping him. As expected, he disappeared, but Erza was ready, striking him when he reappeared behind Scorpio. Twin Two ducked and teleported away a hearbeat before Natsu's fire-infused punch left a crater in his previous spot.

He reappeared behind Virgo and the spirit did not have time to turn around before he threw a punch and lifted her off the ground. Lucy quickly thrust her whip at him, but he caught it with his other hand. Both hands occupied, Natsu charged up behind Twin Two and managed to punch him in the face. Staggering back, Twin Two was forced to let go of Virgo when Scorpio slashed at him with his tail.

He teleported away, but Erza had anticipated this and lashed out a foot, noting with satisfaction when it connected with his jaw.

Clutching his mouth, Twin Two stumbled back. "That's quite impressive, that is. How did you know where I was going to reappear?"

Erza shrugged. "Women's intuition," she said, bringing down her sword.

Twin Two fell back against the ground to avoid the blow, neatly avoiding Scorpio and Natsu's attacks.

"Still too slow," he stuck his tongue out at them. "You'll never catch me, even if you can anticipate where I'm going to teleport next."

"But what if . . ." Scorpio said grimly.

"NOW, VIRGO!" Lucy screamed.

A pair of arms burst out of the ground and wrapped around Twin Two's feet, firmly planting him in place.

". . . you can't teleport?" Scorpio finished.

"Now we gotcha!" Natsu sped towards Twin Two. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"

A massive explosion ensued and smoke billowed. A few minutes of silence.

"We . . . we did it!" Lucy said.

"Who's undefeatable now?" Natsu yelled.

Erza remained silent, glittering eyes wide and searching.

The smoke cleared. Lucy strained her eyes and she could just make out a dark shape lying on the ground. It wasn't moving.

The three of them walked to the shape carefully to take a closer look.

Lucy waved away the remaining smoke that obscured her vision, then gasped in disbelief. The shape was —

"_VIRGO!" _

"My punishment, princess?" Virgo said weakly.

"No punishment!" Lucy said quickly. "Return now!"

As her spirit vanished in a poof, Lucy met Natsu and Erza's eyes. Virgo was beaten up. Twin Two wasn't there. Which meant —

— Lucy's trail of thought was promptly cut off when Scorpio was violently kneed in the gut and thrown back.

"Such a shame," Twin Two muttered. "Good plan, that is."

"Scorpio!" Lucy screamed.

Conveniently choosing that moment when their guard was down, Twin Two disappeared.

A familiar rush of air behind Lucy, her body frozen in shock —

— a dagger sprouted from her chest.

"What . . ." Erza said, bewildered.

"_LUCY!"_

* * *

><p><em>Oh yes, I'm evil. Deal with it.<em>

_- TheAliensDidIt_


	11. Chapter 10

_Summer break's here and I swear I've been getting lazier each day . . . I apologize. I just want to spend the entire day doing nothing at all . . __._

_**AkumaNoKiseki**__, in the Loke arc, Lucy was able to summon all her spirits to help him. I was kind of toying with the idea that Lucy had gotten stronger since then, so now she's able to summon two spirits at the same time and fight with them._

_Thanks to everyone else. You know the drill _— _read and review, yadda yadda yadda. _

_Oh, and someone will die in this chapter. Just a little heads-up._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Ten.<strong>

"_LUCY!" _

Lucy Heartfilia clutched the dagger that protruded from her chest and toppled facedown to the ground.

"Luce . . .?" Natsu's fire sputtered out as he watched the scene with shocked eyes.

"She's gone." Twin Two cackled.

Erza was motionless.

"_YOU SON OF A __—" _Natsu started.

"Didn't you hear me, boy? She's gone. Pathetic stellar spirit mage."

Natsu wanted nothing more than to rip the head off the man who had stabbed his friend. Flames burst angrily from his fist as he prepared to charge _—_

"Hey, you. Take that back."

A familiar cracking sound was heard as a familiar whip sailed through the air and smacked Twin Two right between the eyes, leaving a bloody gash.

Twin Two cried out in surprise, clutching his face. In front of him was Lucy's body, lying on the ground. Behind him stood another Lucy, very much alive.

"What —you — how —"

Before he had time to recover as the dripping blood temporarily blinded him, Lucy's whip was back and tied around his feet. With a savage yank, she pulled the whip and effectively tripped him.

"NOW, ERZA!"

The scarlet-haired mage bounded to Twin Two in a blink and brought her sword down in a wide arc across his body.

The Lucy on the ground reformed into the twin shapes of Gemi and Mini.

"Ah," Twin Two gasped. "Didn't see that one coming. Brilliant, Fairy Tail . . ." he slumped down as the life drained out of him.

Erza exhaled slowly as her Heaven's Wheel Armor shimmered and disappeared.

"Good job, Gemi, Mini," Lucy said. "You can go back now."

"Anything for Lucy-san!" The twins replied as they vanished with a poof.

Natsu, who had stayed frozen throughout the entire scene, finally managed to say something. "Luce . . . what . . . you're not dead?"

"You idiot, of course I'm not!"

"But you _died!" _Natsu gestured at the air wildly.

"He stabbed Gemini, not me." Lucy paused. "You mean you didn't notice that was Gemini? Erza knew."

"She knew? So you're not dead?"

"Idiot," Erza interrupted. "Yes, I did. Now let's go find the others."

"But what about him?" Lucy nodded at Twin Two's body lying on the ground.

"We leave him there," Erza said grimly. "To move the body would be an insult to him as our opponent."

"Oh." Lucy blinked. "Alright, then."

"Luce." Natsu grabbed her hand. "Don't do that again."

"Do what?"

"Play dead." He shifted uncomfortably. "It scared me."

"Oh. Sorry about that. I'll try not to," Lucy laughed nervously.

"I mean, I don't know what I'll do if you died . . ."

"Aww, thanks, Natsu, that's so sweet of you —"

". . . because, y'know, I won't be able to steal food from you again . . ."

Lucy twitched.

". . . and then there'd be no one for me and Happy to prank anymore!"

_Forget what I said about being sweet. _Lucy huffed internally.

"So if you died, that would be really bad for us." Natsu finished with his typical innocent grin.

"You _jerk." _She promptly bashed him on the head.

"Ow!"

"Are you two coming?" Erza demanded from some distance away.

"Coming, Erza!" Lucy skipped towards her.

"But I really did mean it," Natsu muttered, clutching his head.

* * *

><p>"Levy-chan!" Lucy waved as she caught sight of the blue-haired girl, Gray, Happy, and Wendy emerging from a cluster of trees.<p>

"Hey, Lu-chan!" Levy chirped.

"He took us a long way," Gray said. "You took care of Number Two?"

"Of course we did!" Natsu looked offended.

"We got the key, Erza-san," Wendy held up the silver key.

"Good," Erza said. "Now the problem is to find the base itself."

Everyone was quiet as they finally registered what Erza said.

"Oh, that's right, we don't know where the base is," Lucy laughed. "And since they wrecked our train, we're still a long way from Era . . ."

"First things first, we need to get to Era. Let's go, everyone." Erza said.

"Yes ma'am!"

"Aye!"

* * *

><p>"<em>They have the key. One and Two failed."<em>

"_. . . Rats."_

* * *

><p><em>So, who thought it was Lucy when I said someone would die? *nudge* *nudge*<em>

_I won't be able to update for a week or so because I'll be going out of town. __Sorry about that. _

_-TheAliensDidIt_


	12. Chapter 11

_I have been in a dreadful, dreadful slump these past few weeks, school's started, the teacher's giv__en us homework on the first day, I've caught a nasty bout of flu… now I spend my days after school lying in bed clutching my head in agony. And then I'm having trouble sleeping. I swear, for about two weeks I've been tossing and turning in bed. It's frustrating. Can't stay awake at schoooooooool. _

_But oh well. A big thank-you to all my readers, here's chapter eleven for you. :)_

_Review please, they make my day._

_And to everyone else – if you can favorite / alert, you sure as heck can review. DARE NOT FAVORITE THIS STORY AND LEAVE WITHOUT REVIEWING. _

_That is all._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eleven.<strong>

"So . . . tired . . ." Lucy moaned as she fell face-first into a bed in the motel room.

"Now, Lucy," Erza reprimanded, "we have bigger things to worry about than your sore feet."

"We've walked all the way to Era after we ran into the twins halfway from Hargeon!"

"And Lucy-san spent a good portion of the trip inside Horologium," Wendy said.

Lucy mumbled something unintelligible from the depths of the bed.

"Nothing a good night's sleep won't fix, Lu-chan," Levy said.

"I guess," Lucy said. "This is nice, though. Just us girls, peace and quiet . . ." she sat up on the bed and sighed contentedly.

As if to contradict her, the door of the girls' room swung open suddenly. "YO EVERYONE —"

Four different voices assaulted the pink-haired Dragonslayer standing in the doorway.

"Natsu-san!"

"How _dare _you barge into a woman's room uninvited."

"Natsu!"

"Eeeek!"

Four different items collided with his face — a plastic hairbrush, a pencil, a pocket notebook, and in Erza's case, a scalpel that embedded itself two millimeters away from said Dragonslayer's eye.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"What did I tell you? Knock first, hothead."

"What Gray said!" Happy pointed happily at the ice mage.

"You wanna go, ice freak?"

"Make sure you don't regret that, ash-hole!"

Before fire and ice were about to collide, Erza grabbed Gray and Natsu's heads and bashed them together.

"You will do well to remember that we are in a motel."

"Y-yes ma'am . . ."

Happy cackled in the background.

"Now, Natsu," Erza said, acting as if nothing had happened, "why did you come here?"

"Why did I . . ." Natsu trailed off. "Oh! That's right! I — uh . . . I forgot when the pencil hit me."

Lucy, Wendy, Levy, and Erza sighed in unison.

"Do you know what it was, Gray?" Lucy asked.

"No. Why should I spend my time with this idiot anyway?"

"_Why you —__"_

"Erza-san!" Happy interrupted. "It's in here!" He trotted to her with Natsu's blue backpack. Reaching inside, the cat pulled out a panel of glass and held it out.

"This?" Erza held it dubiously. "What exactly does it do?"

"Ah!" Natsu brightened up. "I remember now! The old man gave it to me so we can talk to him."

"You mean Master Makarov?" Lucy peered at the nondescript piece of glass. "How are we supposed to — oh!"

The glass in Erza's hand fogged over, then cleared into a picture of Makarov. As the group watched, glass-Makarov started moving and spoke in a tinny voice, as if through a telephone.

"I see Natsu remembered at last," Makarov grumbled. "You all haven't called for four days."

"Master," Erza greeted. If she was surprised, she did not show it. "We apologize."

"That's cool," Lucy said, staring at the glass. "How did you make this, Master?"

Makarov blinked. "I didn't. You did."

"Eh?"

"Your future, I mean. She's still here. Probably waiting for you to come back." Something glinted in Makarov's eyes as he smacked his lips appreciatively, his head full of — no doubt — inappropriate images. "I do hope you turn out like that, Lucy."

Lucy, Levy, and Wendy shrieked. Natsu and Gray guffawed.

"Enough," Erza commanded. "Master, how are things at the guild?"

Makarov sobered up instantly. "Reports are coming in. It's the same as ever — mages being killed. Although . . ."

"What?" Wendy said.

". . . we have reason to suspect that someone's been spying on us."

"What?" Lucy gawked.

"Macao told me he has seen . . . _things_ . . . flit around the guild occasionally. It could just be imagination, but the shadows are darker than before. They move as if they have a mind of their own. Sometimes the lights go out, only for a few seconds. Turn back on before we can do anything."

There was a silence as everyone digested Makarov's words.

"Then we get the Staff back quickly," Gray said. "That's all there is to it."

"You do that," Makarov nodded. "In the meantime . . . Mira needs help in the bar."

Lucy could only imagine what Makarov meant by "help."

"By the way," Makarov said, "you are getting somewhere in your search for the Staff, right?"

Erza glanced at Gray beside her. "We're . . . working on it."

* * *

><p>"So exactly how are we supposed to find Grimoire Heart?" The question came up next morning from Natsu.<p>

_What he said, _Lucy thought. Natsu had brought up the question that everyone else had been pondering but hadn't said for fear of Erza's wrath.

. . . Said redhead appeared stumped as to how they were going to find the dark guild.

"I suppose there's always the option of sweeping Era?" Wendy offered after a long silence.

"Too long," Gray said.

Erza stared at each one of them. Lucy played with her messenger bag to avoid looking at Erza.

And as the blonde fiddled with the bag's pockets, something long and blue dropped into her hand.

"Eh?" Lucy said, as she held up the necklace that Michelle had used to locate Grimoire Heart. After the necklace a note floated out and Erza caught it.

"To everyone," Erza read, "I've put a charm on this necklace. It should glow brighter the closer you get to Grimoire Heart. Best of luck to all of you . . . Michelle." Erza stopped for a while, then continued. ". . . And then a carrot at the end."

". . . A what?"

Levy peered over Erza's shoulder. "That's not a carrot, that's a peace sign."

"It looks like a carrot."

"I think it looks like a dragon," Natsu offered.

"It's a carrot," Erza insisted dangerously.

". . . Alright. It's a carrot," Lucy agreed.

Erza _hmph_ed.

"Well," Levy announced after a long pause, "problem solved, thanks to Mi-chan. Let's go now!"

The sounds of vicious thumping and wings fluttering, followed by a wail of "FIIIIIIIISH!" came from downstairs. Natsu promptly went off to stop Happy from stealing local fish.

* * *

><p>"We've been walking around Era for hours and we haven't found anything!" Natsu huffed.<p>

"Maybe Michelle-san made a mistake?" Wendy said doubtfully.

"No," Gray interrupted. "There's one place we haven't looked."

All eyes turned to the Magic Council building, located perfectly on top of the mountain that rose in the middle of Era.

"Are you crazy?" Lucy gawped.

"It is possible," Erza mused thoughtfully. "However, the Magic Council is forbidden, closed to public, accessible only to its members . . ."

"What are you getting at?" Lucy whimpered, exchanging a nervous glance with Levy.

"Breaking and entering?" Happy chipped in.

"Breaking and entering," Erza confirmed.

* * *

><p><em>Feel free to kick me. Go on, I deserve it. Gahh. <em>

_-TheAliensDidIt_


	13. Chapter 12

_I woke up today in such a good mood, so I'm going to share my happiness with everyone._

_I LOVE YOU ALL._

_I really, really do. You have no idea how much. _

_I'm feeling bubbly and sentimental. I shall channel that bubbliness (that's not a word, I think. There's a squiggly red line underneath it in Microsoft Word) into this chapter. _

_Check out the wonderful trailer __**Forbidden-Hanyou **__made right here: _

http: / www. youtube. com/ watch?v= Sd6nfefqfOI

_Take out the spaces, I guess,__ but I don't really get how the links work around here. Or just go to my profile / account / thing. And __**Forbidden-Hanyou **__deserves a round of applause, don't you think?_

_Review and I'll love you even more than I already do._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twelve.<strong>

"But . . . but how? The Council has enchantments, and guards, and advanced runes to keep us out!" Lucy said.

"I daresay our Script Mage is skilled enough to dispel the runes," Erza said. "Levy is an extremely bright mage, aren't you?" The last two words were directed to said blue-haired girl.

"Ye . . . yes, Erza, I can!" Stars glittered in Levy's eyes as she drooled at Erza's praise.

Lucy hit her forehead with her hand. "Levy-chan . . . you're supposed to be on _my _side . . ."

Erza smirked slightly at Lucy.

"Come on, Luce! It'll be fun!" Natsu grinned.

"No. It's against the rules."

"The world is ending and you're worried about Council rules?" Gray remarked.

"But . . . but . . ."

"Pleaaaaase, Luce?"

"No!"

"Pleeeeeaaaase?"

"No!"

". . . Or else I'll hide Happy in your bathroom when we get back."

"_You wouldn'__t_ —_"_

"Yep."

Happy squealed excitedly while Wendy, Erza, Gray, and Levy watched the scene unfold in front of them like a tennis match.

"_Don't you dare_—_"_

"Yep."

". . . Fine."

* * *

><p>Which was why the group of seven now found themselves on top of the tall mound of rock that housed the Magic Council.<p>

"Alright, let's go —" Natsu started.

Gray grabbed him by the scarf and hauled him back. "You idiot, do you think we can just walk into the Council like that? There's bound to be rune enchantments to keep unwanted visitors out already."

As if to reinforce his words, orange and red runes glowed around the Council building.

"Levy," Erza motioned to the Solid Script mage.

"Yes!" Levy stepped up close to the runes and held up her trusty pen, frowning hard in concentration. "These runes are written in Latin . . . they're very advanced . . ."

"Can you dispel them?" Erza urged.

"I think so," Levy answered. "If you step on these runes, you will die a very . . . grisly death. But if I erase this, and use this to negate that . . . and rewrite this section . . ." Her pen darted back and forth, trailing a string of Levy's orange runes.

Lucy and Wendy watched in fascination.

". . . And fix _ignis_ . . . there!" Levy flourished her pen triumphantly.

The runes grew fainter and fainter until they disappeared at last.

"That's it?" Natsu and Gray said in unison.

"Hurry," Levy said. "Before someone finds out."

"I thought it would be something more than that," Wendy whispered to Lucy.

"Me too," Lucy whispered back. "Why was it that easy? I mean, Levy-chan said the runes were advanced, but still . . . if Era had Solid Script mages like her, they would be able to infiltrate the Magic Council in no time."

"True," Erza, who had apparently overheard, said. "But it runs deeper than mere rune enchantments. The people of Era do not infiltrate the Council simply because they are afraid. The Council portray themselves are more powerful, more intimidating than they actually are. When they set the rules, the people follow. That's all there is to it."

"Hm," Lucy said thoughtfully.

"It makes one wonder if the Council is as good as they say."

* * *

><p>The Council's interior was impressive, to say the least.<p>

They were in a large room with pristine, white walls. Tapestries and pictures of mages, old and young, hung from frames on the walls. There were tables decked with white cloth and chairs. The floors were made of marble that clacked noisily against the group's shoes. At the end of the room, three carpeted corridors branched off in different directions, guarded by massive pillars.

All in all, Lucy thought, the Council looked like a very elegant yet stern place.

Erza held up the necklace, which glowed a bright blue color. "Michelle-san was right. The Grimoire Heart base _is _in the Magic Council. Levy, Gray, Wendy, Happy — right, left, or middle?"

"Left," said Gray.

"Right?" Wendy said.

"Middle," Levy said.

Happy looked confused.

Erza glowered. "Make up your minds."

"Alright, middle!" Gray yelped.

"Um . . . left then!" Wendy said.

"Eep! Okay, right!" Levy squeaked.

This obviously did not improve Erza's mood. "Natsu, Lucy —"

The sound of boots clacking on the floor drifted over from the right corridor.

Silent panic.

Levy, Gray, Wendy and Happy sprinted towards the left corridor in unison.

Lucy met Erza and Natsu's eyes, chose straight ahead, and they _ran._

* * *

><p>It was quite hard trying to run fast while making no noise against the marble floor, as Lucy found out later.<p>

Sprinting as quickly and noiselessly as they could, Erza, Lucy, and Natsu grabbed the nearest door open and slid inside, closing it with a _click_.

All was quiet.

Lucy almost let out a breath of relief when she heard footsteps again, walking by near their door. Clamping her mouth shut, she fought to regain her breathing under control.

Erza dove behind a conveniently-placed sofa, Lucy tumbled gracelessly behind a cabinet, and Natsu hid behind a tea table.

The door swung open and someone strode in. The person — it was a he, Lucy saw, as she peeked out ever so carefully from her hiding place — walked to a drawer and withdrew some papers, rustling them as he went.

"Rune Knight," Erza mouthed to Lucy.

She held her breath and shuffled carefully to conceal herself better. Erza's hiding place behind the sofa was very fortunate, for she was blocked from the Rune Knight's point of view completely. Lucy had to shuffle a bit so he wouldn't see her, but Natsu . . .

Well, the tea table wasn't a very big one, and the Rune Knight only had to squint to see Natsu's head of pink hair.

Lucy fervently crossed her fingers and prayed. _Go, go, get out, don't see us . . . _

The Rune Knight walked briskly back to the door, eyes intent on scanning the papers.

_That's it . . . almost there . . . _

And that was when she noticed Natsu's nose twitching violently.

Lucy knew what was coming, and from the look on Erza's face, so did she.

"Natsu . . ." Erza mouthed dangerously.

Natsu looked like he was in pain.

"Don't you dare!" Lucy whispered savagely.

"Resist it!" Erza mouthed.

"I . . . I . . . _how?" _Natsu managed, before natural instincts took over and he sneezed.

* * *

><p><em>Dudududududu. 'Kay bye. <em>

_-TheAliensDidIt_


	14. Chapter 13

_So here I am, after a . . . three-month absence . . . I have been extremely busy lately and couldn't seem to get motivated for this chapter. Yes, I'm perfectly aware that I'm a lazy arse, and yes, you have every right to kill me. _

_But on a side note! 100 reviews! Triple digits! *does a happy dance*_

_You people are . . . amazing. _

_Oh, and I'm starting a blog, to those who care. Check it out, pretty please, because a blog's only fun when people start reading it._

_http: /www. nonsensical-nothings. blogspot.com/_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Thirteen.<strong>

Lucy swore she felt the ground vibrate.

The Rune Knight whirled. "Who's there?" He barked.

Natsu tried to back into the safety of the tea table further, but in his hurry he upturned the tiny thing. A pretty, delicate teapot fell to the floor with a crash.

"You!" The Rune Knight's eyes widened. "Intruder! Rune Knights! Intruder! In the name of the Magic Council, I hereby –"

Erza hit him on the back of his head, none too gently.

Lucy giggled as the Rune Knight went to sleep and glared at Natsu, but the three of them stiffened again as the sound of footsteps – many of them – was heard outside.

* * *

><p>"Tikon! What happened?" Five other Rune Knights burst into the room.<p>

The Rune Knight, Tikon, looked up. "What is the meaning of this? Nothing's happened, as you can see. A rat merely knocked over a teapot. Nasty things."

"But – but we heard you screaming –"

"Nonsense! A Rune Knight does not scream. You merely heard the crash of the teapot falling down."

The five Rune Knights looked uncertain. "Well, if you're sure . . ."

"Of course I'm sure. Now back to your stations!"

They left, closing the door.

Behind the sofa, Lucy sighed in relief, and she tumbled out of the hiding place with Erza and Natsu.

Tikon the Rune Knight morphed into the twin shapes of Gemi and Mini, cheerfully high-fiving each other.

"We did good, didn't we, Lucy-san?"

"Yep! Thanks, Gemini!"

They disappeared in two puffs of smoke.

"Quick thinking, Lucy," Erza praised. "And you," she said to Natsu, "hold it in next time."

"What? How am I supposed to hold in a sneeze?"

"Figure it out."

"What are we going to do with him?" Lucy interrupted, nudging the unconscious Rune Knight. They had managed to drag him behind the sofa as well, concealing him from the other Rune Knights.

Erza pondered for a while, then pulled the pink tablecloth off the tea table and wrapped it around Tikon. She pushed him behind the door.

"Let's go."

Lucy looked at Natsu, and they resolved never to let Erza knock them out – who knows where she might stash _them _away.

* * *

><p>They met up with Levy, Gray, Happy, and Wendy, who had taken refuge in a bathroom. <em>Bathroom <em>was an understatement, Lucy noticed, as this bathroom was very, very big.

"Did you find anything?" Erza locked the door and turned on the water tap to mask out their conversation.

"Yes," Levy said excitedly. "In the left corridor, there's a meeting room where the Council gathers. The necklace was glowing brightly there, so we're on the right track!"

"Good," Erza nodded. "Lead us there, Levy."

* * *

><p>The meeting room was a circular dome with a long table in the middle. Pictures of deceased Council members adorned the wall. Many great pillars formed a perfect circle around the group, standing in the middle of the meeting room.<p>

"Natsu, Wendy," Erza instructed. "Stand guard. Tell us if you smell or hear someone coming."

"Yes ma'am!" They saluted her.

"The rest of you," she said, "start looking."

"For what?" Gray said.

"A secret entrance, a hidden switch, anything that will let us in the Grimoire Heart base."

"So it is here then," Levy said, more of a statement than a question. "It's hard to believe."

For a while, they were all silent, two of them guarding while the rest looked under tables, behind pictures, and (in Happy's case) flying up and assessing hard-to-reach places.

Fifteen minutes passed without a warning from either Natsu or Wendy.

"Erza . . ." Levy said hesitantly, "we haven't found anything . . ."

The redhead frowned. "It's very well-hidden."

"That's an understatement," Gray said, turning over the picture of a particularly old and white Council member.

"Maybe it's not here," said Lucy, who was now jumping on random places on the floor, hoping one of the stone tiles would somehow trigger a secret passage.

"It's here," Gray said decisively. "We're just not looking hard enough."

"What if we get cau – ow!" Lucy's foot caught on something on the floor and she tumbled down. Glaring at the offending object, she saw that the tripper was a hole on a stone tile.

_No, _Lucy realized, _not __a __hole. __A __pattern__.__.__. __carved __into __the __stone._

_A pattern on the floor._

Looking around, Lucy realized that all the stone tiles were _covered_in patterns. Some were just simple holes in a tile, but others were elaborate, taking on the shapes of birds, leaves, swirls of wind, or stars.

_Patterns in the stone . . ._

Lucy stood up, a light bulb slowly coming to life in her mind.

_There has to be something here. Something. A connection . . . _

She paced in a circle slowly, taking in as many patterns as she could see.

Rabbit.

Hibiscus flower.

Pen.

Moon.

Dragon.

Necklace.

Book.

River.

_Wait, __what? _Lucy stopped.

_Necklace._

Her eyes darted to the necklace in Erza's grasp.

"Everyone . . ." Lucy gasped.

"What is it, Lu-chan?" Levy was the first to come to Lucy. Gray, Erza, and Happy came over in the next instant.

Lucy knelt down on the pattern of the necklace.

"What?" Gray asked, cluelessness evident in his voice.

But Erza's eyes widened as she made the connection, her hand lifting up the necklace and giving it to Lucy.

A shout from Natsu, followed by Wendy's voice: "Someone's coming! Quick!" The two Dragonslayers came running over.

They all jumped. Lucy fumbled with the necklace, frantically pressing its gemstone into an identical oval groove in the floor tile.

Several tense seconds passed, with everyone holding their breaths in anticipation.

Nothing happened.

"Whaaaa . . ." Wendy squeaked.

Footsteps along the corridor. More than one.

And suddenly, the tiles in front of the group disappeared, revealing a tunnel that led into black oblivion.

"Org-san, you have just received paperwork concerning the fishing industry of Hargeon –"

"Pah! Paperwork! Let them rot in the office!"

Seven pairs of eyes met each other in silent panic.

"But Org-san –"

"_Enough, _I say!"

They toppled in a heap into the tunnel.

* * *

><p><em>Action scene in next chapter, I promise.<em>

_- TheAliensDidIt _


	15. Chapter 14

_Honestly, I'm surprised you guys managed to stick with me, being the unreliable updater that I am. You guys are . . . the best, I swear. _

_In other news, I am now an official beta reader! I beta for **RoseCallisto**, and she specializes in DeiSaku shipping. DeiSaku fans, she's the person to go to. _

_Also, I had a haircut. I used to experience that awesome feeling when you flip your long hair to be like, "I win. Suck it up." Now I have considerably less hair to flip. Female readers, you know that feeling, right? . . . No? Well then . . ._

_What are your New Year's resolutions, everybody?_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fourteen.<strong>

The tiles shot back to their original position, effectively concealing the tunnel entrance. It went dark.

"Hey, there are pillows here!"

"Natsu, that's Wendy."

"Natsu-san . . . can't . . . breathe . . ."

"Oh, sorry Wendy!"

"Gray, _shove over –_"

"I can't, Lucy, it's _cramped!"_

"QUIET!" Erza hissed venomously.

Faint footsteps were heard from the other side, stopping just by the closed tunnel entrance.

"Did you hear that?" Org.

"Hear what, Org-san?"

Erza, Lucy, Levy, Natsu, Gray, Wendy and Happy collectively froze.

". . . Nothing. I must have imagined it." Org sounded clearly bemused.

"It might be the mice, Org-san, the Rune Knights have reportedly seen mice from the underground sewers –"

"Yes, yes, mice and rats and cats, kill the pests," Org said irritably.

"Of course, Org-san. Now, about that paperwork. . ."

Footsteps receding.

When at last they faded away, Happy let out an indignant mewl. "Natsu, is the big fat meanie going to feed me to the dogs?"

"'Course not, Happy, we won't let him. Right, Luce?"

"Hmph. Maybe I should, considering the number of times you've hidden Happy in my closet . . ."

"Later. We should get going," Erza said.

"I can't see where I'm going," Lucy complained.

"I'll make a light," Levy said, and glowing blue letters came into existence a second later.

"There," Erza said, indicating a narrow tunnel. "That's the only way. One at a time."

They squeezed through the tunnel, single file, with Erza leading and Gray bringing up the rear. Levy's Solid Script magic followed them, lighting up the way.

"Erza," Levy said, some time later, "do you smell that?"

"Now that you mention it, Levy, it does smell bad here," Erza answered.

"Like the fire-breathing moron."

"_Shut up, you stripper –_"

Erza grabbed their heads and bashed them against the low tunnel wall.

"Lesson learned," Gray said woozily.

"But, Erza, it smells like . . . something . . . I can't remember," Levy frowned.

"The underground smells bad from time to time," Wendy said.

"Wendy may be right," Erza said. "In any case, we do not have time to find out what is causing this smell."

They crept – crawled, now, as the tunnel grew smaller – along at a snail's pace, apparently not reaching the end of it yet. Two minutes later, Lucy grew distinctly bored, and she could tell by Wendy's fidgeting and Levy changing the colors of her light at one-minute intervals and Happy's constant mutterings of fish that they were growing bored too. Natsu and Gray, however, wisely remained quiet for fear of Erza, even though Lucy felt their growing irritation.

It had gotten to the point where Lucy started counting the number of cracks on the walls, just to see if they weren't trapped in an illusion and going in circles all this time. _Long crack, short crack, long crack, hole . . ._

Just as Lucy was contemplating a crack that branched off in all directions known to man, she heard Erza straighten up.

"We're here," the scarlet-haired mage said.

"Where is here?" Lucy said, as the tunnel gradually widened and she scrambled to her feet.

They were in an enormous underground cave, illuminated by the blue light of Levy's magic letters. And in the center of the cave – Ultear, Meredy, and Jellal.

Lucy saw Erza stiffen, ever so slightly, at the sight of Jellal.

"We knew you'd be here, Fairy Tail," Ultear said.

The group froze, instantly wary.

"We mean you no harm," Jellal said, directing his words in particular to Erza.

"What are you doing here?" Erza shot back.

"What a spitfire," Meredy beamed. "You weren't lying, Jellal."

"We've formed our own guild, the Crime Sorcière," Jellal said. "Meredy and Ultear managed to break me out of prison after I was sentenced to be executed. Now we are fugitives, and our guild aims to destroy all the Dark Guilds in Fiore." _To atone for our past sins _was left unsaid, but the Fairy Tail members knew, and those six words hung heavily in the air.

"The Grimoire Heart base that you seek is truly here," Ultear said. She gestured behind her, indicating another large tunnel that travelled into the darkness. "You are on the right path. Keep going."

"We just came to tell you that," Meredy said.

"I . . . see," Lucy said doubtfully.

"We don't know what you came here for," Jellal said. "Rest assured of the secrecy of your mission, whatever it is. We only know that you need to find the Grimoire Heart base, and Ultear here knows the way. Go carefully, Fairy Tail . . . Erza."

"Thank you for the information, Jellal, Ultear, Meredy." Erza's gaze lingered on Jellal.

"Glad you're not dead," Natsu grinned at Jellal, as the Fairy Tail members made their way past the Crime Sorcière members and to the tunnel.

"Grand Chariot."

"Ice Make: Bloom."

"Maguilty Sodom."

Light, ice, and blades assaulted the Fairy Tail members.

Erza's reflexes saved her as she pushed Levy aside, Natsu grabbed Lucy and Happy and leaped away, Gray countered with a hasty Ice Make: Shield to cover him and Wendy.

"What the hell –" Natsu shouted.

"– do you think you're doing?" Gray finished.

"Jellal!" Erza shifted to battle armor, sword at the ready. "What is the meaning of this?"

In answer, large chunks of rock fell from the cave's ceiling and hurtled towards the group. Dust fell, obscuring their vision.

"Ice Make: Shield!" Gray gritted his teeth as the rocks pounded against his ice shield. It trembled, but held.

"Maguilty Rays!" Yellow blades flew towards the shield. This time, it crumbled, and the Fairy Tail members threw themselves aside.

The dust cleared. The three Crime Sorcière members stood, magic at the ready.

"Oi, you!" Natsu yelled angrily. "Don't make me burn you all! What's going on?"

"Wait!" Wendy shouted. "Their eyes . . ."

Lucy looked. Instead of Meredy's green and Ultear and Jellal's brown eye colors, their pupils had disappeared, leaving blank white orbs.

"They're possessed . . ." Levy gasped. "They're possessed! Erza!"

"Jellal!" Erza cried. "Snap out of it!"

"Heavenly Arrows." Jellal intoned, aiming for Erza.

Eyes widening, Erza shifted to her Adamantine Armor and crouched defensively. As the arrows hit her, she was pushed back several steps but otherwise appeared unharmed.

"We have to get out of here, Erza!" Lucy shouted.

"Aye!" Happy readily agreed.

Eyes darting between the three Crime Sorcière members, Erza nodded. "To the tunnels. Fast as you can. Now."

"But –" Natsu gazed longingly at Jellal, Ultear, and Meredy, obviously anticipating the battle that was about to come. It took the combined efforts of Gray, Lucy, and Happy to drag him away. The seven of them sprinted for the tunnel.

"Meteor."

Lucy heard Wendy squeak in surprise as Jellal flew through the air at an impossible speed and land in front of the tunnel, blocking their way.

The Fairy Tail members screeched to a halt, Jellal in front and Ultear and Meredy behind them.

Erza growled in frustration.

"Erza? What do we do?" Lucy dared to ask.

The scarlet-haired mage shifted to her Black Wing Armor. "No choice. Now we fight."

Flames burst into existence in Natsu's fists as the Dragonslayer grinned in anticipation. "Now you're talking."

"I knew coming here was a bad idea," Lucy whimpered, but summoned Taurus.

"You're looking good today, Lucy-chan –"

"Can it, Taurus!"

Happy fluttered away to a safe place, Gray and Levy readied themselves, and Wendy hung back to provide support, should they need it.

Ultear raised a hand. Stalactites from the cave's ceiling trembled and fell, then hurtled towards the Fairy Tail members, followed by Meredy's magic blades.

Once again, Gray reconstructed his ice shield. Under the combined onslaughts of stalactites and blades, the shield fell.

But now they were ready.

Lucy and Natsu, on an unspoken consent, teamed up and launched themselves at Meredy. Erza and Wendy locked on Jellal, while Gray and Levy attacked Ultear.

"Natsu," Lucy warned, "we don't want to kill her, just knock her out or something."

"Yeah, I know, Luce," he answered.

"Taurus," Lucy pointed at the young pink-haired girl, "we're taking her down."

Rumbling in agreement, Taurus jumped into the air and swung his axe, bringing it down on Meredy. She leaped away a moment before the bull touched down. Lucy followed up with her whip, which she managed to wrap around Meredy. Natsu, fists flaming with angry fire, charged up to Meredy.

In the split second before he punched her –

"Three Spread Sensory Link!"

The fiery punch hit home.

Meredy reeled back, but so did Natsu and Lucy, linked by her magic.

"Ugh!"

"Ow," Natsu moaned. "Now I know what it feels like being hit by me."

Recovering quickly, Meredy released the link and shouted, "Maguilty Sodom!"

Lucy and Natsu managed to evade, but Taurus wasn't so lucky – his size and weight slowed him down, and the majority of the blades pierced Lucy's spirit.

Taurus groaned and collapsed.

"Return, Taurus!"

Panting, Lucy and Natsu surveyed the pink-haired girl before them, trying to think of a strategy.

"I've had it!" Natsu shouted. "I'll burn you all!"

He sucked in air to prepare for an attack –

"Everyone!" Levy yelled, while avoiding Ultear's ice magic. "I just remembered what the smell is!"

"Now's not the time, Levy!" Erza interrupted grimly, slashing on Jellal. Lucy could see the torment in her eyes, see how much it physically pained Erza to be fighting Jellal once again.

"No! Stop! Wait! This tunnel is full of –" Levy tried again, but was cut off by Natsu.

"Fire Dragon's . . ." Natsu started.

"– propane!"

_Propane? _"Natsu, STOP!" Lucy screamed.

Too late.

". . . ROAR!"

Right after Natsu blew his fireball, the cave exploded.

* * *

><p><em>I'm fond of cliffhangers for some reason.<em>

_On a side note, propane is a combustible gas and it smells bad. Try a skunk's fart or something – at least that's what my research told me . . . _

_Who noticed the Spongebob reference? _

_-TheAliensDidIt_


	16. Chapter 15

_I . . ._

_Wow. _

_I'm still alive. Yay._

_I'm sorry times a million for disappearing like that. Just . . . gah. So much to do, so little time, my method of handling things = procrastination. Yes, due to life, school, people, and general business I haven't had the time to write much, but yes, I also procrastinated . . ._

_This story is now over a year old. _

_I don't deserve such amazing readers like you guys. _

_Special thanks to **Crimsondrop7** and **Alsarnia**, your reviews reminded me of how long I've been away from . Thank you for reading, taking the time to review, giving constructive criticism, and kicking my lazy butt into action (even though you mightn't be aware that you did that). _

_In the previous chapter, I was thinking that the propane was floating somewhere high up, like the cave ceiling, and Natsu lighting up his hands with fire wasn't big enough to trigger it. The Roar was. So. I don't know if that makes sense or not. D: Sooo, if anyone's good at chemistry or something . . .? Some help would be awesome. _

_I also plan on going back and cleaning up the small mistakes . . . eventually . . . after I finish this fic. Because I have a tendency to forget what to fix and stuff. XD_

_To everyone else: _

_Why can't Dalmatians hide?_

_Because they're always spotted._

_*cue cymbals and drums here. Badum-tss.*_

_Love you guys. I love you guys THIS BIG. *spreads arms and flails wildly*_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fifteen.<strong>

It was raining.

_Well, _Lucy thought, _normal rain would be more convenient. _

The ceiling trembled violently. It rained dust and pebbles and rocks and bigger rocks and massive rocks and sharp pointy rocks – _stalactites – _

And one was falling straight at her.

_Bugger, _Lucy thought, frozen.

Suddenly she was swept off her feet, quite literally, and whisked away from the falling pointy rocks. She glimpsed a head of blond hair and managed to process, through her shock, what was happening.

"You called, princess?" The Lion looked down at her with a roguish grin.

"Loke!"

Lucy escaped with a few bruises and scrapes. She was lucky, she realized, as she looked around. A particularly large chunk of rock landed on Jellal and she watched as Erza grimly seized the opportunity, landing a solid kick on Jellal's face.

His head snapped back and he fell. When Jellal stood up and raised his head again, Lucy noted that the frightening whiteness was gone from his eyes.

"Wha . . ." Jellal registered Erza in front of him, confusion coloring his face. "Erza?" Then he noticed the falling rocks and looked up, narrowly avoiding a stalactite that would have impaled him.

Jellal's face morphed into _Oh Shit_, if he had said it out loud (but of course he didn't say it out loud, because he was Jellal).

In the confusion, Natsu managed to knock out Meredy and Gray nailed Ultear with a punch, effectively breaking her out of the possession.

"Everyone run for the tunnel!" Erza shouted, which was easier said than done when you had to avoid falling pointy rocks simultaneously.

Using her Arc of Time, Ultear levied the rocks up and kept the cave ceiling (which had started to crumble and fall in large chunks) more or less together.

"Go!" She shouted at the Fairy Tail members, dots of perspiration trickling down her hair.

Loke did not need to be told twice. Dragging his owner along, he shot off towards the safety of the tunnel, followed closely by Natsu (Happy was clinging to his hair), Gray, Levy, Wendy, and Erza, who brought up the rear.

Lucy dove inside, taking a split second to question if the tunnel was really save – after all, Ultear had said that it led to Grimoire Heart members. _Maybe they're waiting - maybe they're going to ambush us! _But she shoved it to the back of her head for now, because the prospect of being impaled by pointy rocks was much scarier.

Dismissing Loke, she did a quick head count – _one, two, three, four, five . . . Levy, Natsu, Happy, Wendy, Gray – where's – _

"Jellal!" Erza shouted, in a voice that was near panic. "Come on!"

Said man was standing in the middle of the cave, unmindful of the falling rocks that had escaped Ultear's Arc of Time. Ultear herself was pale, bent double, and panting under the pressure of keeping the cave up.

"No, Erza," he said, in a surprisingly calm voice. "We're staying."

"What?" Erza spluttered.

"Think, Erza! What if we get possessed again? What if we kill you all?"

"That won't happen! You know what's coming this time, you can fight –"

"We tried, Erza. We tried to fight it. They showed us our worst nightmares, bent our minds back so that we had no choice but to submit. Do you know what I saw?"

"Stop this nonsense, Jellal! You're all coming with us! What about – what about Meredy? Are you going to leave and endanger her, too?"

A flash of pain crossed Jellal's eyes, but it was Ultear who answered. She looked up, eyes weary yet determined at the same time. "Meredy will understand. We owe you this much, Fairy Tail."

"Go, Erza! Into the tunnel!"

"I won't let you do this!" The redhead said stubbornly. "You're coming with us, or I'm not going!"

Suddenly Jellal was in front of Erza. Taking her face in his hands, he whispered, "I saw that I hurt you. I did so once. I won't be the cause for it a second time."

And then he kissed her.

Natsu and Gray gaped.

In another time, perhaps, Lucy might have squealed out loud, taken out a camera, and snapped a picture. Now, though, she recognized the kiss for what it was.

_I'm sorry. If I don't come out alive – _

There were no fireworks, no sparks. Just Jellal and a wide-eyed Erza amid falling rocks. And then it was over and Jellal pulled away, shoving a now-unresisting Erza into the tunnel.

"Go!"

_I'm sorry – _

"Erza –" Lucy said hesitantly, reaching out to the older woman.

Her face was shell-shocked, blank. Without a word, she grabbed Lucy and Wendy, propelling them deeper into the tunnel. She didn't look back. Only her eyes betrayed her inner turmoil.

As Ultear finally released her hold on the ceiling and slumped to the ground, eyes closed, the sky fell.

In the split second before the rocks hit home, Jellal smiled sadly at the retreating redheaded figure. _Smart girl, smart girl . . ._

Erza's mouth twisted angrily. _Jellal, you better not die._

* * *

><p>The tunnel held. Faint tremors were felt and dust fell, but the Fairy Tail members raced along. Erza had taken over the lead, carrying her sword and looking straight ahead pointedly.<p>

Everyone valued their lives enough not to disturb her.

"Are we going the right way?" Lucy whispered to Natsu.

He thought about it for a moment. "I don't know. Ask Erza."

"No way. You ask her!"

"You asked first! You do it!"

"No, you!"

"You!"

Erza twitched.

Lucy and Natsu stopped their frantic whispering. At last they nudged Wendy (Natsu's reasoning was something along the lines of: "Wendy's the youngest, Erza can't get mad at her!"), who finally brought up the question.

"Erza-san . . . where are we going?"

"Grimoire Heart's base," she said, lifting up the glowing necklace. "We're going the right way."

No one said anything after that.

* * *

><p>At last the Fairy Tail members came across a large metal door.<p>

"Who uses a metal door underground like this?" Natsu complained.

"They've really kept it well-hidden, though," Levy observed.

"I thought Grimoire Heart's base was an aircraft or something," Lucy said.

"All guilds need a rendezvous point. They can't keep flying forever," Erza said.

"So how do we open this? Knock?"

"That's very funny, Natsu, why don't you try it?" Lucy suggested.

"We have a key, don't we?" Wendy said.

"Oh!" Lucy said, surprised. "We do . . ."

"There's a keyhole here . . ."

"You're right! There is!"

There was silence for a few seconds.

"Well, someone put the key in," Erza said.

"Sorry," Wendy said hastily. "I, um . . . I wasn't sure I actually wanted to see what's inside."

Into the keyhole went the key. Wendy turned it to the side.

_Clunk. _

Slowly, the door swung open.

A wide expanse of black greeted the Fairy Tail members, who stayed rooted in position.

"The suspense is killing me," Natsu huffed. "C'mon, Luce!"

* * *

><p>"There's no propane here, right?" Lucy's disembodied voice echoed through the dark room.<p>

"I don't think so," Levy said, providing light once again. "I don't smell anything."

The room was empty.

"How are we going to find any clues at this rate?" Natsu said.

"Maybe we should contact Master," Erza said.

"Nothing else to do," Gray said, fishing out the glass piece.

Erza held it in her hands awkwardly. "Did Master tell any of you how to contact him?"

"Um," Lucy said.

"We can try yelling," Natsu suggested. He then proceeded to do just that. "OLD MAN, are you there?"

The glass fogged over. "No need to yell, boy! Didn't I teach you better manners?"

"Oh!" Natsu said brightly. "So that worked!"

"So," Makarov said. "What do you need?"

"We are at Era now, infiltrating the Magic Council, and we ran into Jellal, Ultear, and Meredy earlier. We're at Grimoire Heart's current base, which is located under the Council," Erza said. "We thought the base would hold some clues as to where the Staff might be, and we have reason to believe Grimoire Heart may be involved in this. However, the place appears to be empty."

"What!" Makarov lurched forward, as if attempting to physically go through the glass and shake Erza by the shoulders. "Grimoire Heart's current base, you say? Underneath the Magic Council in Era?"

"Yes," Erza confirmed.

"Get out! Get out _now! _There are Grimoire Heart members inside, do you hear? They're hiding somewhere; they've managed to find a new member and –"

The image of Master Makarov fizzled out. The Fairy Tail members glimpsed a dark blur shooting towards Makarov, followed by several screams from the other side, before the glass went dark.

"Well, well," a silky voice purred from the cover of darkness. "Seems our cover is blown."

Six Grimoire Heart members solidified from the shadows in the dark corners of the room – Bluenote Stinger, Rustyrose, Kain Hikaru, Yomazu, Kawazu, and an unknown female member.

"And what have we here?" Rustyrose said gleefully. "Six of us and six of them – should make an interesting one-on-one, no?"

"Cat, this should be an opportunity for you to test your powers," Bluenote mused to the now-identified mage – Cat. Clad in a dark blue robe and black hair held in an elaborate bun, the female mage nodded silently, the corners of her mouth twitching upwards.

"So you are in league with those people who want the Staff!" Gray accused.

"Are you crazy? You'll die if they get the Staff and use it!" Natsu shouted.

"No," Bluenote smirked. "We made an agreement. We help them stop you, pesky little fairies, and they'll give us a seat of honor after they're done with this world. So without further ado . . ."

"I'll take the blondie," Cat smiled. "Such a weakling. I'll bet you probably spend hours combing that hair of yours, right?"

Lucy felt her anger rise. She wasn't the most powerful in their group, true – but she was not to be underestimated either!

The earth rose underneath them, creating a makeshift cell that imprisoned a single Fairy Tail and Grimoire Heart member.

Lucy and Cat . . . Natsu and Kain Hikaru . . . Levy and Yomazu . . . Gray and Rustyrose . . . Wendy and Kawazu . . . Erza and Bluenote Stinger.

The earth walls rose higher and higher until Lucy couldn't see her friends anymore. She forced her attention back to Cat in front of her. Her hands twitched, reaching for her keys.

"You're mad?" Cat's grin widened. "That's good. Show me what you've got, little blond fairy."

* * *

><p><em>It's done! Yay! <em>

_Next chapter will include some stuff about the Fairy Tail guild and general . . . evilness. Thank you for staying with this story! :D_

_-TheAliensDidIt_


	17. Chapter 16

_Hello, hello!_

_A huge thank-you to everyone who reviewed, I'm glad you liked the Jerza bit. ;D Again, I'm eternally grateful to my loyal readers (you know who you are) and I welcome new readers (I'm assuming you're a new reader, not a silent lurker O_O). _

_What else, what else . . . oh yeah! Just got back from my vacation to Aussie. I would've had my chapter posted earlier, but there wasn't any free wifi. Apologize for the delay in updating, and not replying PMs. _

_Anyway, Aussie is cold. Really cold. I swear I wore three layers and still froze my hands off. _

_Side note, this story isn't going entirely canon. The Grand Magic games aren't taking place right now, so Lamia Scale and Blue Pegasus members who are participating will still be included here. _

_But anyway, without further ado, we shall now see how the Fairy Tail guild has been dealing!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Sixteen.<strong>

Makarov sat on the bar, clutching the piece of glass, before a jet of shadow shot towards him and he came to his senses.

Ducking under the bar, he threw up a shield of light to counter the shadow. The shield sprang up just in time, deflecting the shadow – even so, it twisted – kept going – grazed his arm –

Makarov grunted as his arm burned as if it had come in contact with acid.

Around him, the Fairy Tail members fought alongside Lamia Scale and what few members they could find from Blue Pegasus.

Makarov threw magic spells left and right, activating seals, ice, fire, and wind magic at random. As a black blur sped to him, Makarov glimpsed a pair of red eyes and a gaping mouth amid the inky darkness.

Death Mages, he realized. Death Mages hiding in the shadows, who harnessed unholy powers – the lowest of the low.

Makarov stretched out his hand and grabbed the shadow at where he thought the Death Mage's neck would be. His hand closed around flesh, and the lethal blackness was reduced to a black-clad Death Mage pinned against the floor.

Hissing, and scratching, the Death Mage struggled to free himself from Makarov's chokehold. Even as his face turned purple and he fought for breath, he proved to be surprisingly coherent.

"You fool," the Death Mage rasped. "Why do you persist? The Dark Lord is all-powerful. Why do you fight? Why do you not lay down your lives and go peacefully?"

"Quiet down, vermin," Makarov spat.

Across the room, a Death Mage knocked down Reedus before a Lamia Scale mage – Lyon – drove him away –

Then Lyon was similarly attacked and burned by a second Death Mage that had caught him unaware. Chelia came to his aid, but the damage was done – part of his face was singed.

Under Makarov's hand, the Death Mage and laughed. "You can't win," he gurgled. "Why do you fight?"

"Why do we fight?" Makarov growled, pushing light into the Death Mage as he writhed and twisted. "We fight because it's our duty! We fight because our guild bows to no one! We fight for Fiore! For those we love! Because we –"

The Death Mage exploded.

"– ARE FAIRY TAIL!"

* * *

><p>Several hours and Wood Makes later, courtesy of Laki, the guild looked significantly better than it had been during the attack.<p>

Sitting on the bar and smoking a pipe, Makarov surveyed the scene contemplatively. Mages from Fairy Tail, Blue Pegasus, and Lamia Scale were wounded and being treated by Porlyusica. There were no casualties, though Makarov feared it would last.

He sighed, setting down the pipe, and turned to Mira.

"They're toying with us," the bartender said quietly, absently wiping a glass in an effort to calm herself down. "How many Death Mages did they send? Just about thirty. And look at the damage they've caused."

"We need to prepare ourselves better," Makarov agreed. Something niggled at the back of his mind, something that needed attention, but for the life of him, Makarov couldn't figure out what it was.

The glass shattered against the floor as Mira gasped suddenly. "The civilians."

Makarov cursed. That was it.

"Master, do you think they're in danger?" Mira asked.

"Highly likely," Makarov answered, scanning the group of mages. "If our guild is attacked, the citizens could be in danger as well."

"We can send out some mages –"

"Laxus, Freed, Evergreen, Bixlow," Makarov snapped. "Jet, Droy. Look around outside and help the civilians."

"We can't fight off the enemy and protect the civilians at the same time," Mira said.

"No," Makarov agreed. "We could get them to evacuate, maybe. Far away from any guilds, so they'd be relatively safer – after all, the major guilds are being targeted, so maybe if they stayed away . . . Freesia Town, Balsam or Tully Village, maybe. A hideout here could also work . . ."

"We'll get them to evacuate," Evergreen said. "One way or another."

"First things first," Mira said. "We need to prepare ourselves for another attack."

"We need help," Makarov mused. "More mages." He looked at the mages from Blue Pegasus and Lamia Scale again, noticing the missing people.

"Ichiya, Ooba," Makarov called to the respective guild leaders of Blue Pegasus and Lamia Scale. "Where are the rest of your mages?"

"We don't know," Ooba groused. "Our guilds were attacked too. Most of us escaped, but the others . . ."

"The rest of the Trimens are missing," Ichiya wailed.

"We need everyone on hand," Makarov said. "_All _of them . . ."

"Master, are you thinking . . ." Mira started.

"Yes. Round up all the legal guilds in Fiore. I want them all here."

* * *

><p>The civilians, meanwhile, weren't being very cooperative.<p>

To be fair, Evergreen concurred, they were in shock – a dozen Death Mages had caused considerable damage to their homes and there were several injuries.

Some citizens of Magnolia had packed their bags and left for Freesia, Balsam, or Tully with little fuss, along with a few mages to guide and protect them.

The others . . . well.

Evergreen twitched irritably, glaring down at the young man who now clutched at her like a lifeline, tears streaming down his face.

"Sir, kindly _grow up _and _move. _You all need to evacuate!"

The man clung to her harder – Evergreen suspected part of the clinging was because of her figure (really, what sane man would turn _her _down?) – and wailed some unintelligible words.

Evergreen made a noise of disgust.

A few meters away, a woman was also swooning in Freed's arms. Said mage, bless him, seemed to have the patience of a saint, because he wasn't attempting to throw the lady off.

A blur sped past Evergreen, followed by a trail of dust, as what she assumed was Jet rallied more citizens.

She sighed, looking down at the blubbering young man before her. It would be hard enough calming these people down, much less telling them to leave their homes and evacuate.

There was a commotion several blocks away. Glancing up, Evergreen saw jagged bolts of lightning crackling menacingly. Shrieks of citizens followed soon after as they scurried and packed, double-time.

_Laxus never was the patient one, _Evergreen thought fondly, before proceeding to follow in the Thunder God's footsteps. She gave the blubbering man in front of her a solid _thwack _on the head and shoved him off her.

* * *

><p>Laxus, meanwhile, had managed to scare the majority of the citizens into obeying him.<p>

Well.

The majority.

A particularly stubborn old man – Laxus recognized him as Mr. Wheatley, owner of one of the inns in Magnolia – stood in front of his establishment, arms crossed and eyes stern. Laxus hated to admit it, but Wheatley kind of reminded him of Gramps, and Gramps could be intimidating.

But because he was Laxus, he simply crossed his arms back and glared at the old innkeeper. "You all gotta move, it's not safe here."

"I ain't moving," Mr. Wheatley said firmly. "Lived here all my life – all sixty-eight years of 'em, and you'd do well to remember that's longer than you've been here, young man."

"_Cheh."_

"You watch that tone with me, boy."

_Yep. Grams, alright, _Laxus thought. Outwardly, he said: "Oh? And you're just gonna sit here and twiddle your thumbs while they" – he jabbed a thumb to the sky to emphasize his point – "attack Magnolia?"

"Ain't gonna be twiddlin' our thumbs, boy," Mr. Wheatley scoffed. "All you mages runnin' around, preparin' for the end of the world whatnot, thinkin' you're better than the ordinary folk . . ."

"Get to the point," Laxus said impatiently.

". . . don't you interrupt me, boy. Point being, why don't you give us a chance to defend our town too?"

Laxus had known this was coming. "Absolutely not."

"Pah! There you are again, thinkin' you're better than us!"

"In this case, we are. You have no powers, no magic, no way to defend yourselves, you're _old! _Wanna keel over with a heart attack in the middle of a fight?"

"Why don't you go tell that to Master Makarov? Eh?"

Laxus huffed. "Gramps is an exception."

"Well I'll have you know I'm in my prime, boy! Been on this Earth longer than you, and here you are mouthin' off at your elders – ah, Makarov, teach this brat of yours some manners."

"I try," Makarov said, trotting to the bickering pair.

"What, you gonna take _his _side now?" Laxus protested indignantly. "Gramps, _look _at him –"

"Quiet, boy. Now," Makarov took out his pipe, smoked it contemplatively, and gestured at the innkeeper. "You were saying?"

"Let us stay and help," Mr. Wheatley said firmly.

"Just you?" Makarov said neutrally. "I might consider if we get enough people."

Mr. Wheatley harrumphed and looked around. His search was awarded when two people – Makarov recognized them as the two boaters who usually warned Lucy to be careful as she walked along the river – hesitantly made their way to Makarov.

"We'll stay, too," they said.

"Who else?" Makarov said, raising his voice. People stopped and stared, came over and listened.

"Who else will stay to fight for Magnolia?" He shouted, increasing in size as he applied his Titan magic. Makarov was attracting attention, just the way he wanted. Other citizens volunteered – some timidly, shyly, others freely, happily.

"There is no turning back if you choose to stay. You are not mages. You are civilians. Many will die, blood will be shed. I ask you again, choose wisely – will you stay?"

And from the remaining Magnolia citizens – the men, women, adults, elders – came a ragged cheer of agreement.

"You planned this all along, didn't you," Laxus muttered to Makarov.

The guild master tilted his head to the side. "They have their pride. So do we. We'll need all the help we can get."

* * *

><p><em>Mostly filler, I know, but we had to see what the guild was up to. This was written in a hurry so I'm sorry for any mistakes; feel free to point out any mistakes or improvements I can make!<em>

_- TheAliensDidIt_


	18. Chapter 17

_Hey guys_

_I feel like predicting the future. In FT canon: future Lucy, world in danger, yadda yadda. In my fic: future Lucy, world in danger, yadda yadda._

_...Okay so it's probably about ten percent similar but still_

_And I'm sorry for dying and stuff_

_Haaaa_

_I'm not even going to bother with excuses, yeah. Asdfhjkl._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seventeen.<strong>

The black-haired woman — dubbed Cat — crouched in front of Lucy, human eyes narrowing into feline slits and tilting her head in a . . . well, a distinctly cat-like pose.

Lucy sifted through her keys, keeping both eyes on her enemy while simultaneously trying to decide which one of her spirits would be most helpful. She sensed the other mage readying herself almost imperceptibly and gripped a key tightly, preparing herself for a split-second summon.

Cat's eye twitched.

_Here it comes __—_

And then the other mage sat down, blinked, and purred.

Lucy barely had time to recover from the sheer absurdity of it before claws and fangs came hurtling towards her. She threw herself aside, summoning before she even had time to think. Scorpio arrived in a flurry of sand, battle-ready and a pulsing, comforting presence in front of her.

"Hey-o, Lucy!" Scorpio shouted, unleashing a Sand Buster at the incoming Grimoire Heart mage.

Midair, Cat _twisted _in an acrobatic move that should have been physically impossible. As Lucy watched, she avoided the brunt of the attack and back-flipped away from Scorpio. Thin rivulets of blood trailed down her forearms where a few stray grains of sand had scratched her.

Cat fixed her slitted eyes on Lucy, brought her right arm up, and deliberately licked it. Slowly but surely, the blood started to clot and the skin knitted itself together.

Lucy involuntarily shuddered. Cat grinned, sharp and feral and wild, a far cry from the sly and calculating persona she'd taken before the fight. Lucy realized that right now, her enemy was more feline than human — Cat did not use her magic, her magic _was _part of herself.

Another Sand Buster forced the mage to duck. She glided neatly underneath the tunnel of sand, dodging Scorpio's stabbing tail with inhuman grace, before rolling aside and leaving claw marks on the spirit.

Lucy's whip sang across the air and smacked Cat. The sharp point of Scorpio's tail rebounded against the floor, just barely missing Cat. She ran up the length of his tail nimbly and twisted his outstretched arm backwards. With a strength that belied her lithe frame, she planted both feet on Scorpio's back and kicked him away, then launched herself at Lucy.

Lucy reflexively shut her eyes in response to the oncoming threat and kicked — belatedly remembering Erza's mantra to _keep both eyes open, always keep both eyes open _—

She knew even before her right foot met empty air that she'd missed. A weight collided with her body and they sprawled on the ground, Cat above Lucy. In a blink Cat was behind Lucy, forearm wrapped around the blonde's throat while the other hand, with all five claws extended, came down —

Lucy saw this all in slow-motion. Desperately, she brought her whip up, frantically gauged the distance in a split second, looped her whip around, pulled —

_Yes! _The whip encountered human flesh and the distinct sounds of gagging was heard as Cat's neck was wrapped in a makeshift noose. Swiftly, Lucy stretched the remaining length of her whip as taut as it would go, raising it above her face.

The claws came down, met the whip, and stopped. Lucy strained to keep it up while choking the other mage, though she knew that Cat, quite literally, had the upper hand.

Some distance away, Scorpio had regained his feet and started towards the pair of mages on the ground.

"Not," Cat managed to grunt against the whip tightening around her neck, "one. Move. Or princess gets it."

Scorpio hesitated for a heartbeat. The moment was enough for the claws to descend just another centimeter, but they were just another centimeter closer to slashing Lucy's neck open.

Lucy cried out, sweat beading her eyebrows and dripping into her eyes. Her arms trembled with the effort and Cat smiled savagely, knowing she only needed another minute at most —

And then Virgo exploded from the ground, sending Cat flying sky-high with an upper-kick. For a moment, the mage seemed to defy gravity, for she stayed up far too long and landed far too lightly on her feet instead of smashing her head open on the floor.

Virgo rushed at Cat, swinging her chains. She dodged them all and tackled Virgo, who quickly sank underground, grabbed Cat's ankles, and pulled her waist-deep into the ground. Virgo resurfaced immediately after, keeping a tight hold on the mage from behind. Lucy lashed out with her whip, pinning the feline mage's arms to her sides.

Scorpio unleashed a concentrated stream of sand towards the incapacitated mage —

Only she wasn't incapacitated any longer. Lucy thought she might still be dazed from her near-death experience, for she saw Cat contort her body into positions that looked highly uncomfortable and — there was no other word for it, _liquefied _out of Virgo's hold and the whip —

Lucy gaped as a spear of sand struck Virgo full in the face.

Scorpio paled. "Damn! Sorry —"

The Maiden tumbled backwards. Virgo didn't even have time to apologize to Lucy or ask for punishment before disappearing back into the celestial realm.

Cat bared her fangs in unrestrained glee.

Gritting her teeth in anger, Lucy swung her whip repeatedly while Scorpio blasted sand at the Grimoire Heart mage. Each time, Cat danced out of the way. Timing it perfectly, she waited until Lucy's whip struck the floor and Scorpio blasted his stinger before leaping at the celestial spirit mage.

Scorpio made a swipe for her and missed; clawed hands grabbed at the keys on Lucy's belt. Lucy fought to keep a grip on them. When Cat swung behind her for better purchase, the next bit of Erza's mantra, which the redhead had methodically drilled into Lucy's head, penetrated her mind through the haze of the battle.

_When you've got superior weight, use it._

Lucy dropped backwards, elbows pointed down, and landed on top of Cat. Her shoulder met the hard ground and jarred painfully, but she felt with satisfaction that her elbow had been introduced to the other mage's jaw.

Lucy rolled out of the way as Scorpio followed up with a blast of sand that, for the first time, clipped Cat and sent her tumbling down.

Hissing, she skittered away, the very image of the proverbial cat licking its wounds. Already her bruises were starting to close up, and Lucy realized that they needed a good solid hit to knock her out.

_Stalemate, _Lucy thought. She had no misguided confidence in the way the fight was going. Alone against Cat, without Scorpio or Virgo, Lucy should have gone down some time ago. It was only the presence of her spirits that evened out the battle.

A fireball briefly lit up the cave. Sparks fluttered towards Lucy and Cat, along with a multitude of flaming rocks and various burny bits that rained down on them. The two briefly disengaged from battle and were preoccupied with avoiding the hail of fire.

"Natsu!" Erza's voice managed to convey irritation while engaged in deadly combat against Bluenote Stinger, a hundred meters away. "Stop that!"

"But I won!" Natsu whined, although thankfully no more flaming rocks came.

A tidal wave of water swept across the area, putting out the fires. Lucy never thought she'd be grateful for Rustyrose's magic, but she had to admit imagination was pretty useful.

One danger averted, a drenched Lucy returned to the fight just in time to see Cat hissing and shaking water off herself hastily. Scorpio saw this as an opening and shot a torrent of sand while attacking with good old-fashioned punches.

Cat, Lucy noted, was slower to react now, pausing every once in a while to blink water out of her eyes and dodging Scorpio by narrow margins.

"The water," Lucy gasped with sudden clarity.

_Of course_, she should have known — her opponent _was _a cat, through and through . . .

Sparing a glance at Scorpio and Cat, she saw that Scorpio was keeping her at bay — unable to do much else, but it was a vast improvement from before, when they were simply unable to keep up with Cat's speed.

Lucy scanned the ground. There — an indentation on the ground — slight, but enough to hold a considerable amount of water.

Lucy lunged towards it, stuck a key inside just as Cat regained her previous agility and kicked Scorpio some distance away —

And then Aquarius exploded from the water like a vengeful goddess in a wrath of righteous fury.

"You idiot! What did you just summon me from? A _hole _in the _ground?"_

"I didn't have a choice!" Lucy shouted.

"Do you have any idea how degrading it is —"

Cat was still, eyes wide and focused on Aquarius.

"Fish?" The word escaped from her mouth like a reverent prayer.

Aquarius stopped breathing. With deceptive calmness, she turned to Cat.

"What. Did. You. Call me?" Each word was soft, but carried the same weight as a bell tolling in a funeral.

Lucy winced.

"Fish?" Aquarius repeated, raising her urn slowly.

For the first time, Cat looked truly afraid.

"You little _bitch!" _

Water sloshed dangerously inside the urn.

"_Fish? _I am a _MERMAID!" _Aquarius shrieked.

And then a miniature ocean slammed into Cat.

"That'll teach you," Aquarius growled, re-absorbing the water back into her urn to reveal a half-drowned Cat.

Scorpio made himself known again. "Babe . . . never knew you could be that violent . . ."

Aquarius turned white comically, noticing her boyfriend for the first time. "Y-you saw?"

"I like it!" He flashed a thumbs-up.

Aquarius blushed and giggled. "Oh, you!"

The two spirits promptly disappeared.

Lucy let out a shaky breath, then collapsed in relief.


	19. Chapter 18

_I'm really sorry this story has been abandoned for months on end. I've been in a slump for quite some time, guys, and felt so insanely lazy about writing. One thing I've learned in AP Psych class: if you are pushed or rewarded to do something that you already like, it may decrease your intrinsic love for that action. In other words, forcing someone to do something they have always liked makes them stop liking it. _

_My parents have been, shockingly enough, pushing me to write a book and get it published. I love reading and I love writing. But I also have applications to do for university, schoolwork to keep up with, and – I might as well be honest – I am still seventeen. I am not very mature, I am lazy, I might as well still be a child. Everyone has their own time, their own rhythm of doing stuff, and you can't force that._

_Apologies if I'm not making sense, it's currently one A.M. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Also I just noticed that (new?) feature that lets you put a cover on your story. If anyone feels like making a cover that would be greatly appreciated since I don't have a scanner / tablet / etc, or else I'd just have to... Photoshop a cover. Or something. Have a great Christmas (if you celebrate it), and a happy new year, everyone!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eighteen.<strong>

The adrenaline slowly drained out of Lucy, leaving her legs wobbly. She allowed herself a moment's respite, then forced herself to stand up. Around her, the sounds of battle still raged, but the earth trapped Lucy within a makeshift cell and obscured her vision. She shakily summoned Taurus, who gave her a boost amid streams compliments at "Lucy's great behind."

Lucy pulled herself up and tottered on a tall, rectangular slab of earth. From her new vantage point, she could see that Natsu had dealt with Kain Hikaru nicely. The doll-user was now a charred, smoking lump on the ground — his defeat, Lucy noted with a giggle, was very similar to the way she and Natsu had taken him down in Tenrou Island.

After defeating Kain, Natsu had not been idle. He'd joined Erza, pitted against Bluenote Stinger. Lucy felt a tremor of fear for them; she knew that this Grimoire Heart mage easily outstripped the rest in power. An unexperienced watcher might have thought that Erza had been unable to keep up with Bluenote's power and that Natsu's presence barely evened out the battle, but Lucy recognized the glint of steel in the redhead's eyes. Erza pressed grimly on with Natsu by her side, fists flaming angrily.

Gray appeared to be evenly matched against Rustyrose, mostly unharmed except for a few bruises. Wendy, Lucy noted with surprise and awe, was holding her own against Kawazu. The youngest member of their group was a miniature whirlwind, her blue hair splayed this way and that as she weaved around Kawazu's egg bombs. Lucy realized, with no small degree of shame, that she'd always thought of Wendy as a fragile child who ought to be protected. But it was not the case anymore. It had never been the case. The cocoon had broken, and before Lucy's eyes was a butterfly.

A cry of surprise snapped Lucy out of her thoughts. Levy, it seemed, was having the most difficulty against her opponent. She dropped to the ground to avoid Kawazu's sword — a move that seemed too desperate, too panicked, and Lucy knew that when panicked, people made horrible mistakes.

Lucy scrambled down from her perch and made her way to Levy. Taurus' axe swung twice at the wall blocking the way to Levy, denting it. The wall came down on his third swing, revealing Levy straining to keep her Solid Script: Guard up and Kawazu slowly chipping away at her defenses.

Taurus bellowed, charging straight towards Kawazu. The Dark Mage let out a surprised caw and jumped up, his fear allowing him to leap well above Taurus.

"I had everything," Levy gasped, leaning against Lucy, "under control, Lu-chan."

Eggs rained down at the bull spirit, who at first appeared clueless as to what he should do. He attempted to reach up and pluck a falling egg from the sky — "No, Taurus, _bad _eggs! Move!" — changed his mind, and lumbered away.

The eggs exploded against the ground. Taurus looked appropriately cowed. "Bad eggs," he agreed.

A sideway glance to Lucy. "Lucy-san has _better _eggs," Taurus decided.

Lucy shrieked. "Get the chicken!"

Taurus sniggered and launched himself at Kawazu, swinging his axe to deflect the incoming rain of eggs. A few eggs rebounded back to their origin, and for the first time, Kawazu knew how getting hit by one of his eggs felt like. He squawked and flapped around frantically, loosing egg bombs this way and that.

Lucy dove to the side as the ground beneath her shattered, while Levy conjured fire and toasted the incoming projectiles. Taurus, not fast enough, was clipped by a few stray eggs. He roared angrily and charged at Kawazu again, jumping high into the air and bringing his axe down with a thundering crash.

A split moment before the axe fell, Kawazu raised an Egg Wall — not enough to absorb the full brunt of the impact, but enough for the Dark Mage to leap out of the way. He loosed another volley of eggs, breaking in mid-air and forming a fist.

Taurus planted his feet and readied his axe, but the giant fist did not come towards him.

It went straight for the two mages.

Levy raised a shield, but the fist broke through it like paper, continued on its way down —

In a last-ditch effort, Taurus powerfully flung his axe towards the incoming fist. His aim was true and the eggs shattered, but the spirit was now weaponless, and Kawazu took advantage of this.

With a triumphant caw, he spat hardened eggs at Taurus, who, without his axe, had to resort to bracing for impact. The spirit was knocked back to Lucy and Levy, breathing heavily as he groped for his axe again.

Lucy saw her spirit wearing down. She mentally berated herself for summoning the wrong spirit — Taurus was a tank, meant to fight similarly large opponents, not an agile mage capable of flight like Kawazu.

But no time to dwell on that now.

"Taurus," she whispered. "You think you can last another round?"

The spirit huffed and glared angrily at the oversized chicken mage, then charged forward for one final try. What followed next, Lucy thought, could only be described as a preposterous dance, in which one partner spat eggs and looked like a chicken, and the other was a bull waving a giant axe.

Beside her, Levy seemed to be having the same idea, for the blue-haired girl's lips were twitching.

Kawazu, with his superior speed, dashed behind the bull spirit and opened his beak to deliver another round of eggs. Levy rushed to intercept, flinging a wall of fire towards the Dark Mage.

He cawed angrily, annoyed at being distracted from his prize and hesitating to leave Taurus escape unscathed. The hesitation cost Kawazu, and the blunt end of Taurus' axe sent him tumbling down.

Taurus swung his axe again, and it Kawazu by a hair's breadth as he took to the air. Taurus growled angrily, but there was nothing he could do; Kawazu was out of his reach.

Suddenly Levy raised her arms and thick black oil poured down on Kawazu. The sludge weighed him down and he dropped to the ground like a stone. Kawazu opened his beak, planning to deliver an egg bomb to keep his opponents at bay, but Lucy wrapped her whip around his beak and pulled hard before he could do so.

Kawazu's eyes bulged, practically screaming _Oh, crap_. Lucy almost felt bad for him.

The eggs, with no way out, promptly exploded inside his stomach. Kawazu expanded briefly, then there was a comical-sounding puff of air and the Dark Mage sagged in a faint.

Lucy squealed and met Levy's hand in a high-five.

Around them, Grimoire Heart members fell one by one, until only Rustyrose and Bluenote Stinger were left.

"My, my," Rustyrose remarked, elegantly sidestepping a spear of ice. "It seems retreat is the only option."

"Cheh," Bluenote spat angrily. "Get the others!"

"Oh no you don't!" Natsu cried. Erza moved to intercept them, but Bluenote simply held out a hand, unafraid of the two incoming mages.

"Gravity . . ." he curled his hand into a fist. "Fall."

And Lucy swore the air itself bent like a shimmering curtain, and an invisible hand laid her flat upon the ground. Erza took only a brief moment to recover, but that moment was enough for Rustyrose to summon a dozen small, black beasts that raced to pick up the fallen Dark Mages.

"Don't let them get away!" Erza shouted, sprinting to the other Grimoire Heart members. She was too far away, Lucy thought, but as her eyes darted around she realized they might have enough time to keep a single Dark Mage . . .

Specifically, Kain Hikaru.

It took five of Rustyrose's conjurings to move the puppet mage, overweight as he was. Even as the other beasts sank into shadow, escaping with their Dark Mages, the five unfortunate beasts were left behind, struggling with Kain's girth. Erza was still too far away, they were all too far away to do anything.

So Lucy whipped out a key, summoned the last vestiges of her energy —

A second before the creatures made off with Kain, Horologium burst into existence, trapping the unconscious puppet mage in his glass-case.

Wendy's eyes widened and Levy stared on in sympathy as Horologium's case appeared to swell out of proportion.

"Sorry, Horologium," Lucy winced.

Horologium tottered towards them, then tripped and fell, waving his arms when he found that he was unable to get back up.

"Well," Rustyrose said at last. "His size _did _always cause problems."

"Leave him," Bluenote said, and they too sank into the shadows, barely missing a fireball, ice spear, and numerous sharp, pointy objects.

"Good job, everyone!" Happy fluttered down, seemingly materializing out of nowhere.

"And where were you when we needed help?" Lucy grumbled.

"Offering moral support! From far away!"

"What are we going to do with him, Erza-san?" Wendy asked, bringing Lucy back from trying to chase Happy.

There was an evil glint in Erza's eyes. "We're going to get information out of him, of course."

Gray and Natsu paled simultaneously, all too familiar with Erza's insistence at getting what she wanted.

Horologium let Kain Hikaru out of his glass-case with relief. The Dark Mage chose this unfortunate moment to regain consciousness. He groaned and opened his eyes, blearily focusing on six mages and a cat.

"Well now," Erza began, her voice saccharine sweet. "You're going to tell us all you know about the Staff and the person who hired you."

Kain looked distinctly petrified, but tried to maintain some semblance of dignity. "I'll never tell you!" He blustered bravely.

"You sure 'bout that?" Gray sniggered.

Natsu waved Mr. Cursey in front of Kain's face mockingly.

The Dark Mage's chalk-white skin turned green.

"Gray, Natsu," Erza sang, "hold him down, please."

Kain bucked and thrashed with all his might. In the end, Lucy and Levy had to help the boys restrain the writhing Dark Mage. Wendy, with Happy in her hair, dithered back and forth, torn between wide-eyed fear, sympathy, and amusement.

Erza took her sweet time plucking out a single strand of hair from Kain's head and sticking it on to Mr. Cursey.

"Let's start off easy," she said. "Who tipped you off and told you that Fairy Tail was going to be down here?"

Kain shook his head mutely.

"One last chance."

Still nothing.

"Are you sure?"

Kain looked like he was about to throw up.

"Well then . . ." Erza raised Mr. Cursey up slowly.

"Awesome! Can I use it? Can I?" Without waiting for an answer, Natsu grabbed the puppet with one hand and slammed it into the other repeatedly.

Kain looked positively comical as he was tossed back and forth.

Erza seemed put off that Natsu had stolen her fun, but she dutifully turned to Kain, who still appeared unwilling to talk.

Gray snorted and stole Mr. Cursey away. "Watch how it's done, ash-for-brains!" He threw Mr. Cursey down and stomped on the puppet with wild abandon.

"I won't . . . talk . . ." Kain moaned.

"Let me try!" Lucy made a grab for the puppet even as Natsu tried to swipe it from Gray, but Erza snatched Mr. Cursey before either of them could get their hands on it.

"Children," Erza said mockingly, the glint appearing in her eyes again as she smiled in perverse glee. "When you want to make someone talk, learn from the expert."

And she abruptly brought Mr. Cursey's legs up in a perfect split.

There was a painful-sounding _crack_, and Kain howled in pain.

Lucy and Levy gasped in unison, Wendy's hands flew to her mouth, Happy's wings ceased to function, and the boys blanched. Natsu fell to the ground. Gray followed soon.

"I'll talk! I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!" Kain gasped, looking like an overly large ballerina with his perfect split.

"That's what I thought," Erza said smugly.


End file.
